The harvesting of
visible light is a powerful strategy for the
synthesis of weak chemical bonds involving hydrogen that are below
the thermodynamic threshold for spontaneous H
2
evolution.
Piano-stool iridium hydride complexes are effective for the blue-light-driven
hydrogenation of organic substrates and contra-thermodynamic dearomative
isomerization. In this work, a combination of spectroscopic measurements,
isotopic labeling, structure–reactivity relationships, and
computational studies has been used to explore the mechanism of these
stoichiometric and catalytic reactions. Photophysical measurements
on the iridium hydride catalysts demonstrated the generation of long-lived
excited states with principally metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT)
character. Transient absorption spectroscopic studies with a representative
substrate, anthracene revealed a diffusion-controlled dynamic quenching
of the MLCT state. The triplet state of anthracene was detected immediately
after the quenching events, suggesting that triplet–triplet
energy transfer initiated the photocatalytic process. The key role
of triplet anthracene on the post-energy transfer step was further
demonstrated by employing photocatalytic hydrogenation with a triplet
photosensitizer and a HAT agent, hydroquinone. DFT calculations support
a concerted hydrogen atom transfer mechanism in lieu of stepwise electron/proton
or proton/electron transfer pathways. Kinetic monitoring of the deactivation
channel established an inverse kinetic isotope effect, supporting
reversible C(sp
2
)–H reductive coupling followed
by rate-limiting ligand dissociation. Mechanistic insights enabled
design of a piano-stool iridium hydride catalyst with a rationally
modified supporting ligand that exhibited improved photostability
under blue light irradiation. The complex also provided improved catalytic
performance toward photoinduced hydrogenation with H
2
and
contra-thermodynamic isomerization.