Novel Fully Organic Water Oxidation Electrocatalysts: A Quest for Simplicity

Despite the growing need for readily available and inexpensive catalysts for the half-reactions involved in water splitting, water oxidation and reduction electrocatalysts are still traditionally based on noble metals. One long-standing challenge has been the development of an oxygen evolution reaction catalyzed by easily available, structurally simple, and purely organic compounds. Herein, we first generalize the performance of the known N-ethyl-flavinium ion to a number of derivatives. Furthermore, we demonstrate an unprecedented application of different pyridinium and related salts as very simple, inexpensive water oxidation organocatalysts consisting of earth-abundant elements (C, H, O, and N) exclusively. The results establish the prospects of heterocyclic aromatics for further design of new organic electrocatalysts for this challenging oxidation reaction.