Immobilization and Characterization Strategies for Dinuclear Ruthenium Water Oxidation Catalysts on Solid Supports

Energy transition towards renewable sources is essential for future generations. The growing energy demand from society can be satisfied by collecting energy from sunlight similar to natural photosynthesis. In this process, water oxidation catalysis is considered as the bottleneck reaction. To overcome the high kinetic and thermodynamic barrier of this reaction, many examples of homogenous and heterogenous catalysts, along with their individual advantages and disadvantages, have been reported. This work elucidates the strategies required to bridge the gap between homogenous and heterogenous catalysis. Besides presenting immobilization strategies for dinuclear ruthenium catalysts based on the bbp-ligand system, novel approaches for the characterization of the resulting hybrid systems are discussed. The results highlight the challenges and potential of molecular complexes in heterogenized catalytic systems.