Light-driven electron transfer between a photosensitizer and a proton-reducing catalyst co-adsorbed to NiO

J Am Chem Soc. 2012 Nov 28;134(47):19322-5. doi: 10.1021/ja3082268. Epub 2012 Nov 16.

Abstract

While intermolecular hole-hopping along the surface of semiconductors is known, there are no previous examples of electron-hopping between molecules on a surface. Herein, we present the first evidence of electron transfer from the photoreduced sensitizer Coumarin-343 (C343) to complex 1, both bound on the surface of NiO. In solution, 1 has been shown to be a mononuclear Fe-based proton-reducing catalyst. The reduction of 1 is reversible and occurs within 50 ns after excitation of C343. Interfacial recombination between the reduced 1((-)) and NiO hole occurs on a 100 μs time scale by non-exponential kinetics. The observed process is the first essential step in the photosensitized generation of H(2) from a molecular catalyst in the absence of a sacrificial donor reagent.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Catalysis
  • Coumarins / chemistry*
  • Electron Transport
  • Light*
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Nitric Oxide / chemistry*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Photosensitizing Agents / chemistry*
  • Protons*
  • Stereoisomerism
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Coumarins
  • Photosensitizing Agents
  • Protons
  • coumarin 343
  • Nitric Oxide