Biphasic water splitting by osmocene.

Biphasic water splitting by osmocene.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2012-06-06)

Peiyu Ge, Tanya K Todorova, Imren Hatay Patir, Astrid J Olaya, Heron Vrubel, Manuel Mendez, Xile Hu, Clémence Corminboeuf, Hubert H Girault

PMID22665787

ABSTRACT

The photochemical reactivity of osmocene in a biphasic water-organic solvent system has been investigated to probe its water splitting properties. The photoreduction of aqueous protons to hydrogen under anaerobic conditions induced by osmocene dissolved in 1,2-dichloroethane and the subsequent water splitting by the osmocenium metal-metal dimer formed during H(2) production were studied by electrochemical methods, UV-visible spectrometry, gas chromatography, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Density functional theory computations were used to validate the reaction pathways.

MATERIALS

Product Number

Brand

Product Description

48613

Supelco

1,2–Dichloroethane solution, certified reference material, 200 μg/mL in methanol

02562

Supelco

1,2-Dichloroethane, analytical standard

284505

Sigma-Aldrich

1,2-Dichloroethane, anhydrous, 99.8%

319929

Sigma-Aldrich

1,2-Dichloroethane, ACS reagent, ≥99.0%