Efficient photocatalytic hydrogen generation from water by a cationic cobalt(II) porphyrin

Efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution is obtained from 1 M phosphate buffer at pH 7 in the presence of a Ru(bpy)32+ sensitizer, an ascorbic acid sacrificial donor, and a water-soluble Co(II) porphyrin catalyst. Spectroscopic investigation of the system by stationary and time-resolved techniques enables a complete characterization of the photoinduced dynamics.