Porphyrins Acting as Photosensitizers in the Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction Reaction

The success of the photocatalytic CO2 reduction using sunlight depends on how visible light is captured and utilized. Zn porphyrins, which are synthetic analogues chlorophyll bacteriochlorophyll, have very intense absorption bands in region high potential candidates as photosensitizers for reduction. However, use zinc porphyrins had been limited due to their poor stability under conditions. We found that durability porphyrin during reaction dramatically improved by combining a metal complex catalyst with so two or more electrons not accumulated porphyrin. In this perspective, we describe molecular design systems combine Re complexes detail unique mechanisms