title: Unsensitized photochemical hydrogen production catalyzed by diiron hydrides.
abstract: The diiron hydride [(μ-H)Fe(2)(pdt)(CO)(4)(dppv)](+) ([H2](+), dppv = cis-1,2-C(2)H(2)(PPh(2))(2)) is shown to be an effective photocatalyst for the H(2) evolution reaction (HER). These experiments establish the role of hydrides in photocatalysis by biomimetic diiron complexes. Trends in redox potentials suggests that other unsymmetrically substituted diiron hydrides are promising catalysts. Unlike previous catalysts for photo-HER, [H2](+) functions without sensitizers: irradiation of [H2](+) in the presence of triflic acid (HOTf) efficiently affords H(2). Instead of sacrificial electron donors, ferrocenes can be used as recyclable electron donors for the photocatalyzed HER, resulting in 4 turnovers.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States.
authors.forename: Wenguang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Thomas B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Rauchfuss
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bertini
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zampella
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010777:Photochemistry; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
chemical_list: D006859:Hydrogen; D007501:Iron