Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction Using Cu(I) Photosensitizers with a Fe(II) Catalyst

Photocatalytic systems developed from complexes with only abundant metals, i.e., Cu(I)(dmp)(P)2(+) (dmp =2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline; P = phosphine ligand) as a redox photosensitizer and Fe(II)(dmp)2(NCS)2 as a catalyst, produced CO as the main product by visible light irradiation. The best photocatalysis was obtained using a Cu(I) complex with a tetradentate dmp ligand tethering two phosphine groups, where the turnover number and quantum yield of CO formation were 273 and 6.7%, respectively.