Frontispiece: Copper Photosensitizers Containing P^N Ligands and Their Influence on Photoactivity and Stability

Graphical Abstract

In a modular approach conventional diphosphine P^P ligands were replaced by a heterobidentate P^N ligand in order to enhance stability and absorptivity of the resulting copper photosensitizers. The present study gives insights into their structure-property relationships by a combination of photophysical and electrochemical measurements as well as (TD)DFT calculations. Finally, the two novel Cu(I) complexes were successfully tested for the photocatalytic reduction of protons to hydrogen within a fully noble metal free system. For more details, see the Communication by S. Tschierlei, M. Karnahl et al. on page 17432 ff.