Abstract

The abundant-metal-based polyoxometalate complex [Co4(H2O)2(PW9O34)2]10− is a hydrolytically and oxidatively stable, homogeneous, and efficient molecular catalyst for the visible-light-driven catalytic oxidation of water. Using a sacrificial electron acceptor and photosensitizer, it exhibits a high (30%) photon-to-O2 yield and a large turnover number (>220, limited solely by depletion of the sacrificial electron acceptor) at pH 8. The photocatalytic performance of this catalyst is superior to that of the previously reported precious-metal-based polyoxometalate water oxidation catalyst [{Ru4O4(OH)2(H2O)4}(γ-SiW10O36)2]10−.