Photoenhanced catalytic dehydrogenation of propan-2-ol with homogeneous rhodium–tin complexes

Abstract

The effect of photoirradiation was investigated for the catalytic dehydrogenation of propan-2-ol with homogeneous rhodium–tin complexes. A large reduction of activation energy from 117 to 11 kJ mol^–1 was observed. The wavelength dependence of quantum efficiency showed that it exceeded unity in the u.v. region with an appropriate catalyst composition. A mechanism is proposed, in which the generation of co-ordinatively unsaturated catalytically active species by the photocleavage of the Rh–Sn co-ordination bond is assumed. Photocatalysis in endothermic reactions is discussed from the viewpoint of solar energy storage.