1,4-BIS(1,2,6-TRIPHENYL-4-PYRIDYL)BENZENE AS A NOVEL HYDROPHOBIC ELECTRON RELAY FOR DIHYDROGEN EVOLUTION IN PHOTOCATALYTIC SYSTEMS BASED ONLIPID VESICLES

1,4-Bis(1,2,6-triphenyl-4-pyridyl)benzene (''benzoviologen'') is an ef ficient lipophilic reversible electron relay, which can be used to bui ld structurally organized molecular systems based on lipid vesicles fo r photocatalytic water cleavage. Benzoviologen has an advantage over t he widely used conventional lipophilic viologens, since its reduced fo rms possess more negative reduction potentials. This promotes photosti mulated transmembrane electron transfer and catalytic water reduction at neutral or even slightly basic pH. The kinetic properties of benzov iologen and its capacity to produce one- and two-electron-reduced form s were studied. The ability to couple vectorial transmembrane electron phototransfer with dihydrogen evolution from water over a dispersed P d catalyst was proven experimentally.