Cathodic reduction of oxygen at new iron complexes

The redox behaviour of some new iron complexes has been studied in both acidic and alkaline solutions. The complexes were adsorbed irreversibly at the pyrolytic graphite disc of a rotating ring(Pt)-disc electrode (RRDE) from a 10–3 m solution of the complex in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). Moreover, the electrocatalytic properties of these complexes for the cathodic reduction of oxygen were investigated. Both the redox behaviour and the electrocatalytic effect are discussed in relation to the medium composition as well as the molecular structure of the complex