H2Generation from a homogeneous photocatalytic system containing noble-metal-free Co(II) complex under the irradiation of visible light

A noble-metal-free molecular catalyst, [Co(dmbp)3]Cl2 (dmbp = 4,4’-dimethyl-2,2’-bipyridyl) was prepared for photocatalytic H2 generation. A three-component photocatalytic system was constructed by combination of [Co(dmbp)3]Cl2 as catalyst, Eosin Y as photosensitizer and triethylamine as sacrificial electron donor to give an efficient H2 generation system under visible-light irradiation (λ > 420 nm). The maximum H2 yield was up to 249.2 turnover number (vs. catalyst) over 2 h irradiation under the conditions with catalyst of 4.0 × 10−4 M, 10% TEA (v/v), EY2− of 4.0 × 10−4 M and pH 10 in MeCN/H2O (1 : 1,v/v). Furthermore, the dynamics behaviors of the photolysis system were also briefly discussed.