PROFLAVIN CATALYZED PHOTOPRODUCTION OF HYDROGEN FROM ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

Abstract— Methyl viologen was reduced by EDTA and other organic compounds when aqueous solutions of these compounds were irradiated near 440 nm in the presence of catalytic quantities of proflavin. The photoreduced methyl viologen was readily oxidized in the dark by the enzyme hydrogenase or platinum asbestos. When the entire reaction was run in the light with hydrogenase or platinum, continuous production of hydrogen was observed. The yield of hydrogen was approximately stoichiometric to the EDTA present establishing that methyl viologen and proflavin were acting catalytically. To establish the structural requirements of the electron donor, eighty compounds were tested at seven pH values between 4 and 10. Of these, twenty served as electron donors for the photoproduction of hydrogen. The effective donors contained either a secondary or tertiary nitrogen atom with one or more carboxymethyl or β-hydroxyethyl groups, or a sulfhydryl group. The system could also reduce benzyl viologen but not methylene blue. Riboflavin did not replace proflavin for the photoproduction of hydrogen, This system may have potential for producing hydrogen with solar energy.     

ACRIDINES, DEAZAFLAVINS, ANDTRIS(2,2'-BIPYRIDINE)RUTHENIUM AS CATALYSTS FOR PHOTOPRODUCTION OF HYDROGEN FROM ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

Abstract— The previously reported (Krasna, 1979) photoproduction of hydrogen from organic compounds in the presence of methyl viologen and platinum, catalyzed by proflavin, has now been accomplished with other photocatalysts. The acridine derivatives acriflavin, acridine yellow and acridine orange were active catalysts, whereas 9-aminoacridine was not. The reaction was similar to the proflavin catalyzed reaction with respect to electron donor specificity and mechanism. Tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium (II) also replaced proflavin and the reaction was similar in most respects to that catalyzed by proflavin except that rris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium catalysis was most effective at alkaline pH values. The deazaflavins, deazaribofiavin and 3,10-dimethyl-5-deazaisoalloxazine, were more active than proflavin, particularly at alkaline pH values. Deazaflavins catalyzed photoproduction of hydrogen from a variety of compounds that were inactive with acridines and fra(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium. This includes carboxylic acids, amines, sugars and amino acids. This system may have potential for hydrogen production as a means of solar energy conversion.     

HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN PHOTOPRODUCTION BY TITANATE POWDERS

Abstract— Uncoated powders of TiO₂ or SrTiO₃ did not produce H₂ or O₂ on UV irradiation of aqueous suspensions of the powders. TiO₂ powders coated with platinum or rhodium photoproduced H₂ on irradiation (effective wavelengths 334 and 366 nm) and the reaction was stimulated by catalytic quantities of methyl viologen. The turnover numbers for H₂ production relative to TiO₂ were very low suggesting that the powders were not acting catalytically. Hydrogen production was never stoichiometric with respect to TiO₂ and the kinetics of H₂ production were first order, not zero order as would be expected for catalytic photolysis of water. Oxygen was never detected and it appears that H₂ did not arise from water photolysis but rather from oxidation of reduced sites in TiO₂. A rhodium-coated SrTiO₃ powder prepared photochemically produced both H₂ and O₂ on irradiation but the turnover numbers were very low. A Rh-SrTiO₃ powder prepared thermally showed higher turnover numbers for H₂ photoproduction and may be acting catalytically. However, little O₂ was detected with this powder. When the turnover numbers for the different titanate powders were expressed with respect to the number of surface monolayer hydroxyl groups calculated from the surface area of the powders, some turnover numbers greater than one were obtained.     

LIMITING REACTIONS IN HYDROGEN PHOTOPRODUCTION BY CHLOROPLASTS AND HYDROGENASE

Abstract— Hydrogen was photoproduced from water in a system containing isolated chloroplasts, hy-drogenase, a coupling electron carrier (ferredoxin or methyl viologen), and an oxygen scavenger. The rate and extent of hydrogen production anaerobically was much less than the rate of aerobic electron-carrier reduction by chloroplasts and was not limited by hydrogenase. The limiting reaction in the coupled system was the extent of reduction of methyl viologen anaerobically rather than its oxidation by oxygen produced during the course of the reaction. Inhibition of photosystem II by 3-(3,4dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea and addition of a photosystem 1 electron donor did not lead to photoproduction of hydrogen or photoreduction of methyl viologen. Extensive photosystem I hydrogen evolution was obtained when thiols were also present. Platinum asbestos or palladium asbestos replaced hydrogenase in a system coupled to chloroplasts.