Iron-catalyzed hydrogen production from formic acid.

Hydrogen represents a clean energy source, which can be efficiently used in fuel cells generating electricity with water as the only byproduct. However, hydrogen generation from renewables under mild conditions and efficient hydrogen storage in a safe and reversible manner constitute important challenges. In this respect formic acid (HCO(2)H) represents a convenient hydrogen storage material, because it is one of the major products from biomass and can undergo selective decomposition to hydrogen and carbon dioxide in the presence of suitable catalysts. Here, the first light-driven iron-based catalytic system for hydrogen generation from formic acid is reported. By application of a catalyst formed in situ from inexpensive Fe(3)(CO)(12), 2,2':6'2''-terpyridine or 1,10-phenanthroline, and triphenylphosphine, hydrogen generation is possible under visible light irradiation and ambient temperature. Depending on the kind of N-ligands significant catalyst turnover numbers (>100) and turnover frequencies (up to 200 h(-1)) are observed, which are the highest known to date for nonprecious metal catalyzed hydrogen generation from formic acid. NMR, IR studies, and DFT calculations of iron complexes, which are formed under reaction conditions, confirm that PPh(3) plays an active role in the catalytic cycle and that N-ligands enhance the stability of the system. It is shown that the reaction mechanism includes iron hydride species which are generated exclusively under irradiation with visible light.