Heterogeneous M-N-C Catalysts for Aerobic Oxidation Reactions: Lessons from Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysts

• Published in: Chemical reviews Vol. 123; no. 9; pp. 6233 - 6256
• Main Authors: Bates, Jason S, Johnson, Mathew R, Khamespanah, Fatemeh, Root, Thatcher W, Stahl, Shannon S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Chemical Society 10-05-2023
• Subjects: Alcohols; Catalysts; Chemical reactions; Chemical reduction; Electrocatalysts; INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; Nitrogen; Organic chemistry; Oxidation; Oxidation reactions; Oxygen reduction reactions; Redox reactions; Transition metals
• ISSN: 0009-2665; 1520-6890
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00424

Nonprecious metal heterogeneous catalysts composed of first-row transition metals incorporated into nitrogen-doped carbon matrices (M-N-Cs) have been studied for decades as leading alternatives to Pt for the electrocatalytic O
reduction reaction (ORR). More recently, similar M-N-C catalysts have been shown to catalyze the aerobic oxidation of organic molecules. This Focus Review highlights mechanistic similarities and distinctions between these two reaction classes and then surveys the aerobic oxidation reactions catalyzed by M-N-Cs. As the active-site structures and kinetic properties of M-N-C aerobic oxidation catalysts have not been extensively studied, the array of tools and methods used to characterize ORR catalysts are presented with the goal of supporting further advances in the field of aerobic oxidation.