A Trade‐Off Between Thermodynamics and Kinetics of O <sub>2</sub> Binding for Highly Active and Selective Electrocatalytic Oxygen Reduction Reaction

H Haoyuan Lv J Jianqiang Feng (Institute of Molecular Engineering Plus, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University 2 , Fuzhou 350108,) H Haonan Qin (Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering) J Jiwu Zhao (State Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis on Energy and Environment, College of Chemistry) Q Qiqi Jing (Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry Ministry of Education School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Shaanxi Normal University Xi'an China) T Tao Liu Y Yuhan Xu (Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering) J Jinxiu Han (Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry Ministry of Education School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Shaanxi Normal University Xi'an China) W Wei Zhang P Ping Yang B Binju Wang (State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering) U Ulf‐Peter Apfel (Ruhr‐Universität Bochum Fakultät Für Chemie und Biochemie Anorganische Chemie I Bochum Germany) R Rui Cao (Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering)

Abstract

ABSTRACT O 2 binding to metal ions is an essential step in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Tailoring O 2 binding is anticipated to realize highly active and selective four‐electron ORR. Herein, we report on fine‐tuning the molecular pocket of Co porphyrins to get a trade‐off between thermodynamics and kinetics of O 2 binding for ORR with high activity and selectivity. Three Co tetra (2‐amidophenyl)porphyrins with an αααα structure but different steric hindrance at the pocket bottleneck are synthesized. The pocket thermodynamically favors O 2 binding by stabilizing O 2 adducts and thus improves the 4e selectivity, but the sterically hindered pocket entrance may obstruct the access of O 2 to Co. By tuning the pocket entrance, we tailored the rate constant and equilibrium constant of O 2 binding, and consequently, we achieved efficient ORR with a half‐wave potential of 0.83 V versus RHE and a transferred electron number of 3.78. This performance is remarkable among reported mononuclear Co porphyrins.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 65, Issue 23
Published June 01, 2026
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (13)

H

Haoyuan Lv

J

Jianqiang Feng

Institute of Molecular Engineering Plus, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University 2 , Fuzhou 350108,

H

Haonan Qin

Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

J

Jiwu Zhao

State Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis on Energy and Environment, College of Chemistry

Q

Qiqi Jing

Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry Ministry of Education School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Shaanxi Normal University Xi'an China

T

Tao Liu

Y

Yuhan Xu

Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

J

Jinxiu Han

Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry Ministry of Education School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Shaanxi Normal University Xi'an China

W

Wei Zhang

P

Ping Yang

B

Binju Wang

State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

U

Ulf‐Peter Apfel

Ruhr‐Universität Bochum Fakultät Für Chemie und Biochemie Anorganische Chemie I Bochum Germany

R

Rui Cao

Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering