Photochemical H-2 production with noble-metal-free molecular devices comprising a porphyrin photosensitizer and a cobaloxime catalyst

Among three noble-metal-free molecular devices (1-3) containing a porphyrin photosensitizer and a cobaloxime catalyst, the one with a zinc porphyrin unit displayed apparently higher efficiency for photoinduced H-2 production than complex 2 with a magnesium porphyrin and 3 with a free-base porphyrin, possibly due to the formation of a TEA center dot center dot center dot ZnPor-Co triad in solution.