Despite the growing need for readily
available and inexpensive
catalysts for the half-reactions involved in water splitting, water
oxidation and reduction electrocatalysts are still traditionally based
on noble metals. One long-standing challenge has been the development
of an oxygen evolution reaction catalyzed by easily available, structurally
simple, and purely organic compounds. Herein, we first generalize
the performance of the known N-ethyl-flavinium ion
to a number of derivatives. Furthermore, we demonstrate an unprecedented
application of different pyridinium and related salts as very simple,
inexpensive water oxidation organocatalysts consisting of earth-abundant
elements (C, H, O, and N) exclusively. The results establish the prospects
of heterocyclic aromatics for further design of new organic electrocatalysts
for this challenging oxidation reaction.