Bioinspired molecular catalysts for homogenous electrochemical activation of dioxygen

International audienceO2, which is abundant and environmentally benign, is the ideal green oxidant for oxidation reactions, which are key transformations in the chemical industry. Still, O2 needs to be activated, and this can be achieved through the so-called reductive activation of the O2 paradigm. Taking inspiration from metalloenzymes, where a non-noble redox active metal (iron, copper) controls the partial reduction of O2 via electron and proton transfers, metal-based synthetic systems can be developed to reproduce oxygenase activity. In the present article, we focus on fundamental aspects that serve as support for the development of 2-electron activation of O2 and generation of highly oxidizing metal-oxo species, thus paving the road for the development of electrocatalytic systems for organic substrate oxygenation. Scarce examples known in the literature capable of such reactivity and possible future developments are described