A heterogeneous photocatalytic system based on a nickel complex over a CdS nanorod photosensitizer for H2 generation from water under visible light

•A catalytic system for H2 evolution is built by CdS, a Ni complex and H2A.•This system achieves 70,970 mol of H2 per mol of catalyst during 70 h irradiation.•The average value of AQY was ~ 18% during 10 h of irradiation.•A cycle for H2 production by the photocatalytic system is afforded.

In this paper, we present a nickel complex, [BzPyN(CH3)2]2[Ni(mnt)2] 1 (mnt2 − = maleonitriledithiolate), a cocatalyst for building a photocatalytic system for H2 generation from water. Under photoirradiation with blue light (λmax = 469 nm), 1, together with CdS nanorods (CdS NRs) as a photosensitizer, and ascorbic acid (H2A) as a sacrificial electron donor in a pH 2.5 aqueous solution, produces hydrogen with a turnover number (TON) of 70,970 mol of H2 per mol of catalyst during 70 h irradiation and the average value of AQY is ~ 18% during 10 h of irradiation.

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