A stable molecular nickel catalyst for the homogeneous photogeneration of hydrogen in aqueous solution

Light-driven H(2) production is catalyzed by [Ni(P(2)(Ph)N(2)(Ph))(2)](BF(4))(2) when irradiated with visible light in water/acetonitrile mixed solvent in the presence of a photosensitizer (PS) and ascorbate. The catalyst gives over 2700 turnovers over 150 h, and does not degrade despite photodecomposition of the PS.