Investigation of the ultrafast dynamics occurring during unsensitized photocatalytic H2 evolution by an [FeFe]-hydrogenase subsite analogue

Frederix, P. W. J. M., Adamczyk, Katrin, Tuttle, Tell, Wright, Joseph A., Ulijn, Rein V., Pickett, Christopher J. and Hunt, Neil T. (2014) Investigation of the ultrafast dynamics occurring during unsensitized photocatalytic H2 evolution by an [FeFe]-hydrogenase subsite analogue. Organometallics, 33 (20). pp. 5888-5896. ISSN 0276-7333

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Abstract

Biomimetic compounds based upon the active subsite of the [FeFe]-hydrogenase enzyme system have been the focus of much attention as catalysts for hydrogen production: a clean energy vector. Until recently, use of hydrogenase subsite systems for light-driven hydrogen production has typically required the involvement of a photosensitizer, but the molecule [(μ-pdt)(μ-H)Fe2(CO)4(dppv)]+, (1; dppv = cis-1,2-C2H2(PPh2)2; pdt = 1,3-propanedithiolate) has been reported to catalyze the evolution of hydrogen gas under sensitizer-free conditions. Establishing the molecular mechanism that leads to photohydrogen production by 1 is thus an important step that may enable further development of this family of molecules as solar fuel platforms. Here, we report ultrafast UVpump–IRprobe spectroscopy of 1 at three different excitation wavelengths and in a range of solvents, including under the conditions required for H2 production. Combining spectroscopic measurements of the photochemistry and vibrational relaxation dynamics of 1 with ground-state density functional theory (DFT) calculations shows that, irrespective of experimental conditions, near-instantaneous carbonyl ligand loss is the main photochemical channel. No evidence for a long-lived excited electronic state was found. These results provide the first time-resolved data for the photochemistry of 1 and offer an alternative interpretation of the underlying mechanism of light-driven hydrogen generation.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	sdg 7 - affordable and clean energy ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/affordable_and_clean_energy
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Chemistry (former - to 2024)
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Biophysical Chemistry (former - to 2017) Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Synthetic Chemistry (former - to 2017) Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Chemistry of Materials and Catalysis Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Chemistry of Light and Energy Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Energy Materials Laboratory
Depositing User:	Pure Connector
Date Deposited:	04 Nov 2014 12:00
Last Modified:	06 Feb 2025 05:17
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/50632
DOI:	10.1021/om500521w

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