Jj. Zhang et Fc. Anson, ELECTROCATALYSTS FOR THE REDUCTION OF O-2 AND H2O2 BASED ON COMPLEXESOF CU(II) WITH THE STRONGLY ADSORBING 2,9-DIMETHYL-1,10-PHENANTHROLINE LIGAND, Electrochimica acta, 38(16), 1993, pp. 2423-2429
The complex of Cu2+ with one molecule of 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthrol
ine is strongly and irreversibly adsorbed on graphite electrodes where
it functions as an electrocatalyst for the reduction of O2 and H2O2.
The corresponding complex involving two molecules of the ligand is als
o strongly adsorbed but is not catalytically active. The methyl groups
in the 2 and 9 positions of the phenanthroline ring produce a signifi
cant positive shift in the potential where the adsorbed catalyst funct
ions compared with the unsubstituted complex. The catalytic mechanism
is argued to involve intramolecular electron transfer between the redu
ced copper center and substrate coordinated to it.