Subphthalocyanine-sensitized TiO2photocatalyst for photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

A series of SubPcs comprising a carboxylic acid anchoring group at the peripheral (SubPcs1,2) or axial position (SubPc3) were synthesized and used as sensitizers for photocatalytic H2production, for the first time. SubPc3/TiO2shows the best photocatalytic activity with a hydrogen evolution rate of 1396 μmol h−1, which is much higher than that of SubPcs1and2(771 and 658 μmol g−1, respectively). This work clearly shows that considering their optical and redox properties, SubPcs are promising candidates for light-driven water splitting systems.