A Bioinspired Molybdenum Catalyst for Aqueous Perchlorate Reduction

Perchlorate (ClO4 –) is a pervasive, harmful, and inert anion on both Earth and Mars. Current technologies for ClO4 – reduction entail either harsh conditions or multicomponent enzymatic processes. Herein, we report a heterogeneous ( L )­Mo–Pd/C catalyst directly prepared from Na2MoO4, a bidentate nitrogen ligand ( L ), and Pd/C to reduce aqueous ClO4 – into Cl– with 1 atm of H2 at room temperature. A suite of instrument characterizations and probing reactions suggest that the MoVI precursor and L at the optimal 1:1 ratio are transformed in situ into oligomeric MoIV active sites at the carbon–water interface. For each Mo site, the initial turnover frequency (TOF0) for oxygen atom transfer from ClO x – substrates reached 165 h–1. The turnover number (TON) reached 3840 after a single batch reduction of 100 mM ClO4 –. This study provides a water-compatible, efficient, and robust catalyst to degrade and utilize ClO4 – for water purification and space exploration.