Buffer-Induced Acceleration and Inhibition in Polyoxometalate-Catalyzed Organophosphorus Ester Hydrolysis

The Zr-containing polyoxometalates (POMs), including (Et₂NH₂)₈{[α-PW₁₁O₃₉Zr(μ-OH)(H₂O)]₂}·7H₂O (1), effectively catalyze the hydrolysis of nerve agent simulants at near-neutral pH. Analogous Zr-containing heterogeneous systems are much-studied and effective nerve-agent hydrolysis catalysts, but due to their heterogeneous nature, it is very challenging to know the exact structure of the catalytic sites during turnover and to clarify at the molecular level the elementary mechanistic processes. Here, under homogeneous conditions, hydrolysis rates of the nerve-agent simulant methyl paraoxon catalyzed by 1 are examined as a function of pH, ionic strength, catalyst, and substrate concentrations. In addition, the specific effect of three commonly used buffers is examined, revealing that acetate functions as a co-catalyst, phosphate inhibits hydrolytic activity, and 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid (MES) has no effect on the hydrolysis rate. Spectroscopic (³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance) and computational studies demonstrate how each of these buffers interacts with the catalyst and offer explanations of their impacts on the hydrolysis rates. The impact of the nerve-agent hydrolysis product, methyl phosphonic acid, is also examined, and it is shown to inhibit hydrolysis. These results will aid in the design of future Zr-based hydrolysis catalysts.