Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution from Solutions of Benzyl Alcohols Under the Action of Visible Light with the Participation of Crystalline Graphite-Like Carbon Nitride

It is established that the effeciency of the hydrogen evolution from water–acetonitrile solutions of benzyl alcohol and a number of its derivatives under the action of visible light with the participation of crystalline graphite-like carbon nitride increases when electron-donating ability of the substituent in the para position of benzyl alcohol increases. The highest H2 evolution rate, 720 μmol·h–1·g–1 (quantum yield Φ = 22% at 405 nm), is achieved in solutions of 4-methoxybenzyl alcohol in the presence of 0.1 M HCl at 40 °C.