Hydrogen capture by porphyrins at the TiO2(110) surface

Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2015 Nov 28;17(44):30119-24. doi: 10.1039/c5cp05437k. Epub 2015 Oct 26.

Abstract

Metal-free porphyrin molecules adsorb on the rutile TiO2(110) surface with their pyrrolic nitrogen atoms atop the O-bridge rows, whereas the iminic nitrogen atoms capture two additional hydrogen atoms. Hydrogenation occurs spontaneously at room temperature, irrespective of the distance of the polypyrrolic macrocycle from the surface, as varied by changing the porphyrin functionalization.