Molecular Catalysts: Design and Applications

This lecture discusses the design and applications of molecular catalysts, focusing on their structure, properties, and advantages over heterogeneous catalysts. The instructor explains the challenges and benefits of using molecular catalysts for hydrogen evolution reactions, highlighting their stability, diversity, and advanced design capabilities. The electrochemistry of a Fe-porphyrin complex is explored, along with the mechanism of catalysis and the global analysis of the system. Additionally, the lecture covers the concept of overpotential in both water and organic solvents, providing insights into the thermodynamic potentials and dissociation constants of various acids. The Fe-porphyrin system's overpotential is analyzed, emphasizing the importance of reducing Fe(I) to Fe(0) in the catalytic process.