Heterogeneous Water Oxidation Catalysts For Molecular Anodes And Photoanodes

Water oxidation is a critical half reaction in alternative energy and essential to producing solar fuels from light-driven water splitting. Molecular complexes, especially those based on ruthenium, represent a promising class of catalysts for use in these systems. Studies of ruthenium complexes in homogeneous solutions represent an overwhelming majority of the literature on molecular catalysts thus far. Nonetheless, the development of devices for light-driven water splitting necessitates the translation of catalysts to surfaces, namely, semiconductor metal-oxide surfaces. Progress in this equally important area of heterogeneous molecular water oxidation and mechanistic studies at surfaces is reviewed herein.