Self-Assembly of Porphyrin Dipeptide Conjugates toward Hydrogen Production

Abstract

In this work, the diphenylalanine dipeptide was covalently attached to a tripyridyl porphyrin macrocycle and conveyed self-assembling properties to the resulting hybrid. This hybrid was metallated with non-noble metals, Zn and Sn, and investigated toward photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. The Sn derivative, SnPy3P-FF, was able to produce hydrogen photocatalytically in the presence of a known cobaloxime catalyst and TEOA as a sacrificial electron donor. When the self-assembling nanostructures of SnPy3P-FF were employed in the photocatalytic system, enhanced hydrogen production was observed. Fluorescence and transient absorption experiments were performed in order to shed light on the electron transfer processes that take place during the photocatalysis.