HYDROGEN GENERATION BY VISIBLE-LIGHT WITH TRIS-(2,2'-BIPYRIDINE) RUTHENIUM DICATION

The formation of methyl viologen anion radical in the reaction with photoexcited Ru(bpy)2+3 in the presence of the weak reducing agent triethanolamine, has been established. An attempt was made to reduce water to hydrogen by using the electron transfer system which combines the Ru(bpy)2+3 an methyl viologen photoirradiation system and hydrogenase, or colloidal platinum, for hydrogen production. The following reaction mechanism is proposed. {A figure is presented}. Further, it was found that colloidal platinum could replace the K2PtCl6 used by Lehn to give similar results. © 1979.