A nickel(II) complex of S,S′-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-1,2-thioethane, a cocatalyst for photochemical driven hydrogen evolution from water under visible light

Abstract

In the presence of KSCN, the reaction of S,S′‑bis(2‑pyridylmethyl)‑1,2‑thioethane (bpte) with NiCl2 formed a new nickel(II) complex, [(bpte)Ni(SCN)2], a new cocatalyst for photochemical driven hydrogen production from water. Under photoirradiation with blue light (λmax = 469 nm), together with CdS nanorods (CdS NRs) as a photosensitizer, and ascorbic acid (H2A) as a sacrificial electron donor, the nickel complex acts as a catalyst for hydrogen evolution in heterogeneous environments. Under an optimal condition, this photocatalytic system achieved a turnover number (TON) of 23,800 mol H2 per mol of catalyst (mol of cat−1) during 60 h irradiation. The highest apparent quantum yield (AQY) was ~32.1% at 420 nm.