Facile synthesis, spectroscopy and electrochemical activity of two substituted iron phthalocyanines as oxygen reduction catalysts in an acidic environment

摘要: Two substituted iron phthalocyanine macrocycles were synthesized and evaluated as oxygen reduction electrocatalysts in an acidic, or proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell-like, environment. The non-noble, transition metal iron(II) 2,9,16,23-tetra-tert-butyl-phthalocyanine (FePc(tBu)4), 2,11,20,29-Tetra-tert-butyl-2,3-naphthalocyanine (FeNpPc(tBu)4) made via a facile synthesis. Successful synthesis was confirmed using UV–Vis spectroscopy well matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectroscopy. These two phthalocyanines characterized cyclic voltammetry (CV) their electrocatalytic activities towards the reaction (ORR) rotating disk electrode (RDE) techniques. ORR these compared to those unsubstituted species, iron(III) (FePc). RDE trace FeNpPc(tBu)4 indicates 2 electron mechanism, whereby O2 is reduced mainly H2O2. This contrast FePc, FeNpPc FePc(tBu)4, which exhibit predominantly 4 mixed 4, mechanisms.