Heterogeneous catalytic water oxidation controlled by coordination geometries of copper(ii) centers with thiolato donors.

Treatment of a penicillaminato platinum(ii) metalloligand with Cu2+ gave an S-bridged PtII2CuII2 complex, which reacted with Zn2+ to produce 1D and 3D (PtII2CuII2ZnII)n coordination polymers, depending on the counter anions. These compounds increased heterogeneous electrocatalytic activities for water oxidation in proportion to the number of vacant coordination sites at thiolato dicopper(ii) cores.