Electrochemical approach to the mechanistic study of proton-coupled electron transfer

The proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) reactions are vital to a broad range of biological processes which include enzyme reactions, photosynthesis, and respiration. Thus, electrochemical PCET reactions are being studied wherein electrons are flowing into or from an electrode while protons are transferred between acid and base. PCET is considered as a useful method for the stepwise transfer of electron and proton (ET-PT or PT-ET). A review was done regarding the analysis of such stepwise mechanisms that are both done in aprotic media and in water. The PCET process can be best described through the characterization of the dichotomy between hydrogen bonding and proton transfer. Then, the redox couples that are tethered to an electrode have been used to analyze the effects of proton transfer to an electron transfer. This knowledge is vital in discovering PCET in natural processes.