Green chemistry based on TiO₂ functionalized with oxo-manganese catalysts

Dye-sensitized semiconductors have been extensively investigated within the context of Grätzel cells to convert sunlight directly into usable power. A collaborative experimental/computational study of the development and application of dye-sensitized semiconductor materials for heterogeneous photocatalysis is carried out. A surface complex consisting of a catalytic Mn oxo complex adsorbed onto a TiO₂ substrate via a catechol-substituted terpyridine ligand can be activated by photoinduced subpicosecond interfacial electron transfer. Synthesis of the Mn oxo surface complex is achieved by a novel stepwise assembly technique, and confirmed by spectroscopic characterization corroborated by computational studies supporting the experimental results. Besides potential application to the photocatalytic decomposition of pollutants, biomimetic materials capable of splitting water or fixating CO₂ could provide viable solutions to problems ranging from current energy concerns to reducing atmospheric greenhouse gases. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 231th ACS National Meeting (Atlanta, GA 3/26-30/2006).