Molecular systems for light driven hydrogen production

Recent work towards the production of hydrogen via reduction of protons is described. Most of the systems examined in this perspective use a molecular chromophore for harvesting visible light, a catalyst, which is reduced by the excited (or reduced) chromophore, and finally a sacrificial electron source to oxidatively or reductively quench the chromophore. The reduced catalyst is then responsible for the reduction of protons resulting in hydrogen evolution. Relevant mechanistic work on this topic is also discussed.