New platinum(II) complex of CCC-pincer N-heterocyclic carbene ligand: Synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

New CCC-pincer N-heterocyclic carbene Pt(II) complex, [Pt(TMPCCC)Cl] (1) (TMPCCC = 1,1′-(1,3-phenylene)bis(3-(2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-ylidene)) was synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, (13C, 1H) NMR and ESI-MS spectroscopies. The emission quenching by Pt nanoparticles and methyl viologen, photophysical and electrochemical properties were studied. Also, the photoinduced electron-transfer reactions were investigated in photocatalytic hydrogen-generating system containing triethanolamine and colloidal Pt without an extra electron relay. The mixture of the platinum(II) complex and the corresponding electron relay, displayed that intramolecular electron transfer increases the photocatalytic efficiency. Moreover, the addition of methyl viologen has no obvious effects on the hydrogen generating efficiency, demonstrating electron transfer from the excited chromophore (complex 1) to colloidal Pt.

Graphical abstractNew CCC-pincer N-heterocyclic carbene Pt(II) complex was synthesized and investigated as photocatalytic hydrogen-generating system.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide