Electrochemistry of Fe(IV) and Mn(IV) corroles containing meso-dichlorophenyl substituents and the use of these compounds as catalysts for the electroreduction of dioxygen in acid media

Two meso-dichlorophenyl substituted metallocorroles were synthesized and characterized as to their electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical properties in dichloromethane, benzonitrile, and pyridine containing 0.1 M tetra-n-butylammonium perchlorate (TBAP) as supporting electrolyte. The examined compounds are represented as (Cl2Ph)3CorFeIVCl and (Cl2Ph)3CorMnIVCl where (Cl2Ph)3Cor is the trianion of 5,10,15-tri(2,4-dichlorophenyl)corrole. Each metallocorrole was examined as to its catalytic activity for the electoreduction of dioxygen when coated on an edge-plane pyrolytic graphite electrode in 1.0 M HClO4. Cyclic voltammetry combined with linear sweep voltammetry at a rotating disk electrode (RDE) and a rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE) was utilized to evaluate the catalytic activity for the electroreduction of O2. The main O2 reduction product is hydrogen peroxide under the given experimental conditions.