A Bioinspired Molybdenum Catalyst for Aqueous Perchlorate Reduction

The detection of perchlorate (ClO₄⁻) on and beyond Earth requires ClO₄⁻ reduction technologies to support water purification and space exploration. However, the reduction of ClO₄⁻ usually entails either harsh conditions or multi-component enzymatic processes. We developed a heterogeneous Mo−Pd/C catalyst from sodium molybdate to reduce aqueous ClO₄⁻ into Cl⁻ with 1 atm H₂ at room temperature. Upon hydrogenation by H₂/Pd, the reduced Mo oxide species and a bidentate nitrogen ligand (1:1 molar ratio) are transformed in situ into oligomeric Mo sites on the carbon support. The turnover number and frequency for oxygen atom transfer from ClO_x⁻ substrates reached 3850 and 165 h⁻¹ on each Mo site. This simple bioinspired design yielded a robust water-compatible catalyst for the removal and utilization of ClO₄⁻.