An intramolecular cobalt-peptoid complex as an efficient electrocatalyst for water oxidation at low overpotential.

Water electrolysis is the simplest way to produce hydrogen, as a clean renewable fuel. However, the high overpotential and slow kinetics hamper its applicability. Designing efficient and stable electrocatalysts for water oxidation (WO), which is the first and limiting step of the water splitting process, can overcome this limitation.

A rationally designed peptoid for the selective chelation of Zn over Cu.

The selective removal of Zn from proteins by using a synthetic chelator is a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of various diseases including cancer. Although the chelation of Zn is well known, its removal from a protein in the presence of potential competing biologically relevant ions such as Cu is hardly explored. Herein we present a peptoid - N-substituted glycine trimer - incorporating a picolyl group at the N-terminus, a non-coordinating but structurally directing benzyl group at the C-terminus and a 2,2':6',2''-terpyridine group in the second position, that selectively binds Zn ions in the presence of excess Cu ions in water.