title: Structure-Activated Copper Photosensitisers for Photocatalytic Water Reduction.
abstract: A series of phenanthroline-based ligands have been synthesised and their influence as bidentate nitrogen ligands in heteroleptic [Cu(P^P)(N^N)]+photosensitisers in light-driven water reduction has been studied. In this noble-metal-free Cu-Fe-based photocatalytic water reduction system, the structural effects of the nitrogen ligands have been explored, including the steric and electronic effects of substituents at the 2,9- and 4,7-positions of phenanthroline. Ligands were prepared that led to increased hydrogen generation, with turnover numbers (TONCu) of up to 1388 being observed. All the new complexes were electrochemically and photophysically characterised. We demonstrate for the first time that the presence of fluorine in nitrogen ligands increases the efficacy of copper complexes in photocatalytic hydrogen production.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Chemistry-Synthesis Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Chaowang Road 18, 310014, Hangzhou, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Nan-Yu
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Chemistry-Synthesis Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Chaowang Road 18, 310014, Hangzhou, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Liang-Min
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Leibniz-Institut für Katalyse an der, Universität Rostock e.V., Albert-Einstein-Strasse 29a, 18059, Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Alastair J J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lennox
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Chemistry-Synthesis Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Chaowang Road 18, 310014, Hangzhou, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yuan-Yuan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Chemistry-Synthesis Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Chaowang Road 18, 310014, Hangzhou, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Chemistry-Synthesis Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Chaowang Road 18, 310014, Hangzhou, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hai-Ming
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Leibniz-Institut für Katalyse an der, Universität Rostock e.V., Albert-Einstein-Strasse 29a, 18059, Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7603-1984
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Junge
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Chemistry-Synthesis Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Chaowang Road 18, 310014, Hangzhou, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Qin-An
authors.initials: QA
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Chemistry-Synthesis Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Chaowang Road 18, 310014, Hangzhou, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jian-Hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: Leibniz-Institut für Katalyse an der, Universität Rostock e.V., Albert-Einstein-Strasse 29a, 18059, Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5709-0965
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beller
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Chemistry-Synthesis Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Chaowang Road 18, 310014, Hangzhou, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Shu-Ping
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8108-4132
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Luo
keywords: N ligands; copper; hydrogen; photosensitisers; reduction; water chemistry