Photogeneration of Strong One- and Two-Electron Redox Agents from Transition Metal Complexes

Abstract

The thermal reaction chemistry and electrochemistry of oxidation and reduction reactions occupies a prominent position in the development of modern inorganic chemistry. The thermodynamic parameters associated with redox reactions have been extensively studied via electrochemical as well as calorimetric techniques, and these parameters provide a convenient basis for establishing equilibrium constants and spontaneity for a wide variety of redox processes. Development of theories describing electron transfer reactions^1-4 has provided, with the help of structural information, an important means of correlating these thermodynamic paraineters with the kinetics of redox reactions. Thermal electron transfer reactions continue to play a central role in current inorganic chemical research in such diverse areas as theoretical and synthetic inorganic chemistry, inorganic polymer chemistry. and bioinorganic chemistry.

Key Words:

• photosensitization
• photo-oxidation
• photo-reduction
• photo-catalysis
• transition metal complexes
• cyclometalated complexes
• ortho-metalated complexes
• iridium(III) complexes
• rhodium(III) complexes
• photo-reduction of carbon dioxide
• photochemical hydrogen production
• 2,2′-bipyridine complexes
• 2-phenylpyridine complexes
• ortho-metalated complexes of 2,2′-bipyridine
• photoconversion
• solar fuel production