Electrochemically Triggered Dynamics Within a Hybrid Metal-Organic Electrocatalyst

A wide array of systems, ranging from enzymes to synthetic catalysts, exert adaptive motifs to maximize their functionality. In a related manner, select metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and related systems exhibit structural modulations under stimuli such as the infiltration of guest species. Probing their responsive behavior in-situ is a challenging but important step towards understanding their function and subsequently building from there. In this report, we investigate the dynamic behavior of an electrocatalytic Mn-porphyrin containing MOF system (Mn-MOF). We discover, using a combination of electrochemistry and in-situ probes of UV-Vis absorption, resonance Raman and infrared spectroscopy, a restructuration of this system via a reversible cleavage of the porphyrin carboxylate ligands under an applied voltage. We further show, by combining experimental data and DFT calculations, as a proof of concept, the capacity to utilize the Mn-MOF for electrochemical CO₂ fixation and to spectroscopically capture the reaction intermediates in its catalytic cycle. The findings of this work and methodology developed opens opportunities in the application of MOFs as dynamic, enzyme-inspired electrocatalytic systems.