Host–guest chemistry between cyclodextrin and a hydrogen evolution catalyst cobaloxime

Abstract

We report the host–guest chemistry between cyclodextrin and a bisdimethylglyoximato cobalt complex, cobaloxime. Cobaloxime forms a 1 : 1 host–guest assembly with β- or γ-cyclodextrin but not with α-cyclodextrin. The assembly of cobaloxime with γ-cyclodextrin enhances the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity of a homogeneous system that contains an organic dye eosin Y in a neutral aqueous solution under visible-light irradiation.