Photoinduced energy and electron-transfer processes in porphyrin-perylene bisimide symmetric triads

The photophysics of two symmetric triads, (ZnP)2PBI and (H2P)2PBI, made of two zinc or free-base porphyrins covalently attached to a central perylene bisimide unit has been investigated in dichloromethane and in toluene. The solvent has been shown to affect not only quantitatively but also qualitatively the photophysical behavior. A variety of intercomponent processes (singlet energy transfer, triplet energy transfer, photoinduced charge separation, and recombination) have been time-resolved using a combination of emission spectroscopy and femtosecond and nanosecond time-resolved absorption techniques yielding a very detailed picture of the photophysics of these systems. The singlet excited state of the lowest energy chromophore (perylene bisimide in the case of (ZnP)2PBI, porphyrin in the case of (H2P)2PBI) is always quantitatively populated, besides by direct light absorption, by ultrafast singlet energy transfer (few picosecond time constant) from the higher energy chromophore. In dichloromethane, the lowest excited singlet state is efficiently quenched by electron transfer leading to a charge-separated state where the porphyrin is oxidized and the perylene bisimide is reduced. The systems then go back to the ground state by charge recombination. The four charge separation and recombination processes observed for (ZnP)2PBI and (H2P)2PBI in dichloromethane take place in the sub-nanosecond time scale. They obey standard free-energy correlations with charge separation lying in the normal regime and charge recombination in the Marcus inverted region. In less polar solvents, such as toluene, the energy of the charge-separated states is substantially lifted leading to sharp changes in photophysical mechanism. With (ZnP)2PBI, the electron-transfer quenching is still fast, but charge recombination takes place now in the nanosecond time scale and to triplet state products rather than to the ground state. Triplet-triplet energy transfer from the porphyrin to the perylene bisimide is also involved in the subsequent deactivation of the triplet manifold to the ground state. With (H2P)2PBI, on the other hand, the driving force for charge separation is too small for electron-transfer quenching, and the deactivation of the porphyrin excited singlet takes place via intersystem crossing to the triplet followed by triplet energy transfer to the perylene bisimide and final decay to the ground state.     

Intramolecular excimer formation and photoinduced electron-transfer process in bis-1,8-naphthalimide dyads depending on the linker length

The photophysical properties of bis-1,8-naphthalimide (NI-L-NI) dyads with different linkers ( L = -C 3H 6-, -C 4H 8-, -C 6H 12-, -C 8H 16-, and -C 9H 18-) as well as the reference NI derivative (NI-C 7H 15) were investigated in CH 3CN and H 2O/CH 3CN (v/v = 1:9). The normal fluorescence peak of (1)NI*-L-NI was observed at 379 nm together with a broad emission at longer wavelength both in aprotic CH 3CN and in H 2O/CH 3CN, which is assigned to an excimer, (1)(NI-L-NI)*. The excimer emission maximum was blue-shifted with increasing length of the linker. The photoinduced electron-transfer process of NI-L-NI was also investigated in both solvents by using nanosecond-laser flash photolysis. The T 1-T n absorption band for (3)NI*-L-NI was observed around 470 nm in both solvents. In H 2O/CH 3CN, NI-L-NI is solvated with H 2O in the ground state to exist as solvated NI-L-NI. In the excited triplet state, the NI radical anion (NI (*-)) was generated via the intramolecular quenching of (3)NI*-L-NI by another NI moiety. The solvated NI (*-)-L-NI may undergo the proton abstraction process to give NI(H) (*)-L-NI, which can be confirmed by the transient absorption band at 410 nm. This band was not observed in pure aprotic CH 3CN.     

Solvent mediated intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer in a fluorene-perylene bisimide derivative

Photoinduced electron transfer from fluorene to perylene bisimide has been studied for 2,7-bis(N-(1-hexylheptyl)-3,4:9,10-perylene-bisimide-N'-yl))-9,9-didodecylfluorene (PFP) in 11 different organic solvents. The intramolecular charge-separated state in PFP is almost isoenergetic with the locally excited state of the perylene bisimide. As a consequence of the small change in free energy for charge separation, the electron transfer rate strongly depends on subtle changes in the medium. The rate constant k(CS) for the electron transfer from fluorene to perylene bisimide moiety in the excited state varies over more than 2 orders of magnitude ( approximately 10(8)-10(10) s(-1)) with the solvent but does not show the familiar increase with polarity. The widely differing rate constants can be successfully explained by considering (1) the contribution of the polarization energy of the dipole moment in the transition state and by (2) the classical Marcus-Jortner model and assuming a spherical cavity for the charge-separated state. Using the first model, we show that lnk(CS) should vary linearly with Deltaf [Deltaf = (epsilon(r) - 1)/(2epsilon(r) + 1) - (n(2) - 1)/(2n(2) + 1), where epsilon(r) and n represent the static dielectric constant and the refractive index of the solvent, respectively], in accordance with experimental results. The second model, where the reorganization energy scales linearly with Deltaf, provides quantitative agreement with experimental rate constants within a factor of 2.     

Ultrafast photoinduced intramolecular charge separation and recombination processes in the oligothiophene-substituted benzene dyads with an amide spacer

Photoinduced intramolecular charge separation (CS) and recombination (CR) processes of the tetrathiophene-substituted benzene dyads with an amide spacer (4T-PhR, R = 4-H (1), 4-CN (2), 3,4-(CN)2 (3), 4-NO2 (4), 3,5-(NO2)2 (5)) in solvents of different polarities were investigated using various fast spectroscopies. It was revealed that the CS rates depend on the ability of the acceptor and solvent polarity. Ultrafast CS with the rate of 5 x 10(12) s(-1) was revealed for 5 in PhCN and MeCN. The ultrafast CS can be attributed to the large electronic coupling matrix element between the donor and the acceptor despite the relative long donor-acceptor distance. The existence of the state with large electron density on the spacer between 14T*-PhR and LUMO should facilitate the CS process in the present dyad system. It was also revealed that the CR rates in these dyads were rather fast because of the enhanced superexchange interaction through the amide spacer.     

Unsymmetrical p-carborane backbone as a linker for donor-acceptor dyads

Fluorescent nanorods: Donor-acceptor dyads based on novel unsymmetrically disubstituted closo-1,12-dicarbadecaboranes have been prepared in a completely controlled manner by using a three-step procedure. Dyads with different donor-acceptor spacing were thereby obtained. Efficient energy transfer from the donor to the acceptor was determined in fluid solution at room temperature.     

Conformation effect of oligosilane linker on photoinduced electron transfer of tetrasilane-linked zinc porphyrin–[60]fullerene dyads

A series of zinc porphyrin–[60]fullerene dyads linked by conformation-constrained tetrasilanes and permethylated tetrasilane have been synthesized for the evaluation of the conformation effect of the tetrasilane linkers on the photoinduced electron transfer. The excited-state dynamics of these dyads have been studied using the time-resolved fluorescence and absorption measurements. The fluorescence of the zinc porphyrin moiety in each dyad was quenched by the electron transfer to the fullerene moiety. The transient absorption measurements revealed that the final state of the excited-state process was a radical ion pair with a radical cation on the zinc porphyrin moiety and a radical anion on the fullerene moiety as a result of the charge separation. The charge separation and charge recombination rates were found to show only slight conformation dependence of the tetrasilane linkers, which is characteristic for the Si-linkages.     

Proton, electron and energy transfer processes in excited phenol-olefin dyads

Dyads containing phenol and olefin subunits are versatile models for the investigation of proton, electron and energy transfer processes. As they are readily accessible, a number of analogues (allylphenols, cinnamylphenols and derivatives) have been prepared with a wide range of photophysical and photochemical properties. By means of appropriate structural modification of a very simple initial structure, it is possible to reproduce, at will, different types of behaviour. In addition to providing valuable fluorescence emission data, these systems are chemically productive, giving rise to irreversible photoreactions that constitute a fingerprint for the mechanism involved. They include photocyclisation to 5- and 6-membered ring cyclic ethers, Z/E isomerisation, di-pi-methane rearrangement, formation of ortho-quinone methides, photohydration and photodehalogenation. This rich photochemistry is highly sensitive to the microenvironment experienced, as indicated by the dramatic modifications observed within cyclodextrin cavities. Intramolecular OH...pi interactions, both in their ground and excited states, play a key role in the interesting properties of 2-allylphenol derivatives. This is supported by experimental data and also by theoretical calculations.     

Exciplex intermediates in photoinduced electron transfer of porphyrin-fullerene dyads

The photoinduced electron transfer in differently linked zinc porphyrin-fullerene dyads and their free-base porphyrin analogues was studied in polar and nonpolar solvents with femto- to nanosecond absorption and emission spectroscopies. A new intermediate state, different from the locally excited (LE) chromophores and the complete charge-separated (CCS) state, was observed. It was identified as an exciplex. The exciplex preceded the CCS state in polar benzonitrile and the excited singlet state of fullerene in nonpolar toluene. The behavior of the dyads was modeled by using a common kinetic scheme involving equilibria between the exciplex and LE chromophores. The scheme is suitable for all the studied porphyrin-fullerene compounds. The rates of reaction steps depended on the type of linkage between the moieties. The scheme and Marcus theory were applied to calculate electronic couplings for sequential reactions, and consistent results were obtained.     

Tuning photoinduced energy- and electron-transfer events in subphthalocyanine-phthalocyanine dyads

A series of subphthalocyanine-phthalocyanine dyads has been prepared by means of palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions between a monoalkynylphthalocyanine and different monoiodosubphthalocyanines. Electronic coupling between the two photoactive units is ensured by a rigid and pi-conjugated alkynyl spacer. In addition, the electronic characteristics of the subphthalocyanine moiety were modulated by the introduction of different peripheral substituents. Cyclic and Osteryoung square-wave voltammetry experiments revealed that the reduction potential of this subunit can be decreased by about 400 mV on going from thioether or no substituents to nitro groups. As a consequence, the energy level of the charge-transfer state could be fine-tuned so as to gain control over the fate of the photoexcitation energy in each subunit. The diverse steady-state and time-resolved photophysical techniques employed demonstrated that, when the charge-transfer state lies high in energy, a quantitative singlet-singlet energy-transfer mechanism from the excited subphthalocyanine to the phthalocyanine takes place. On the contrary, stabilization of the radical pair by lowering the redox gap between electron donor and acceptor results in a highly efficient photoinduced electron-transfer process, even in solvents of low polarity such as toluene (Phi(ET) approximately 0.9). These features, together with the extraordinary absorptive cross section that these molecular ensembles display across the whole UV/Vis spectrum, make them model candidates for application in situations where broadband light sources are needed.     

Ultrafast photoinduced electron transfer in directly linked porphyrin-ferrocene dyads

The ultrafast electron transfer occurring upon Soret excitation of three new porphyrin-ferrocene (XP-Fc) dyads has been studied by femtosecond up-conversion and pump-probe techniques. In the XP-Fc dyads (XP-Fcs) designed in this study, the ferrocene moiety is covalently bonded to the meso positions of 3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl zinc porphyrin (BPZnP-Fc), pentafluorophenyl zinc porphyrin (FPZnP-Fc), and 3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl free-base porphyrin (BPH2P-Fc). Charge separation and recombination in the XP-Fcs were confirmed by transient absorption spectra, and the lifetimes of the charge-separated states were estimated from the decay rate of the porphyrin radical anion band to be approximately 20 ps. The charge-separation rates of the XP-Fcs were found to be >10(13) s-1 from the S2 state and 6.3x10(12) s-1 from the S1 state. Charge separation from the S2 state was particularly efficient for BPZnP-Fc, whereas the main reaction pathway was from the S1 state for BPH2P-Fc. Charge separation from the S2 and S1 states occurred at virtually the same rate in benzene and tetrahydrofuran and was much faster than their solvation times. Analysis of these results using semiquantum Marcus theory indicates that the magnitude of the electronic-tunneling matrix element is rather large and far outside the range of nonadiabatic approximation. The pump-probe data show the presence of vibrational coherence during the reactions, suggesting that wavepacket dynamics on the adiabatic potential energy surface might regulate the ultrafast reactions.     

Porphyrinic dyads and triads assembled around iridium(III) bis-terpyridine: photoinduced electron transfer processes

Multicomponent arrays based on a central iridium(III) bis-terpyridine complex (Ir) used as assembling metal and free-base, zinc(II) or gold(III) tetraaryl-porphyrins (PH(2), PZn, PAu) have been designed to generate intramolecular photoinduced charge separation. The rigid dyads PH(2)-Ir, PZn-Ir, PAu-Ir, and the rigid and linear triads PH(2)-Ir-PAu, PZn-Ir-PAu, as well as the individual components Ir, PH(2), PZn, PAu have been synthesized and characterized by various techniques including electrochemistry. Their photophysical properties either in acetonitrile or in dichloromethane and toluene have been determined by steady-state and time-resolved methods. In acetonitrile, excitation of the triad PH(2)-Ir-PAu leads to a charge separation with an efficiency of 0.5 and a resulting charge-separated (CS) state with a lifetime of 3.5 ns. A low-lying triplet localized on PH(2) and the presence of the heavy Ir(III) ion offer the CS state an alternative deactivation path through the triplet state. The behavior of the triad PZn-Ir-PAu in dichloromethane is rather different from that of PH(2)-Ir-PAu in acetonitrile since the primary electron transfer to yield PZn(+)()-Ir(-)-PAu is not followed by a secondary electron transfer. In this solvent, both unfavorable thermodynamic and electronic parameters contribute to the inefficiency of the second electron-transfer reaction. In contrast, in toluene solutions, the triad PZn-Ir-PAu attains a CS state with a unitary yield and a lifetime of 450 ns. These differences can be understood in terms of ground-state charge-transfer interactions as well as different stabilization of the intermediate and final CS states by solvent.     

Exciplex mediated photoinduced electron transfer reactions of phthalocyanine-fullerene dyads

Evidences of an intramolecular exciplex intermediate in a photoinduced electron transfer (ET) reaction of double-linked free-base and zinc phthalocyanine-C60 dyads were found. This was the first time for a dyad with phthalocyanine donor. Excitation of the phthalocyanine moiety of the dyads results in rapid ET from phthalocyanine to fullerene via an exciplex state in both polar and nonpolar solvents. Relaxation of the charge-separated (CS) state Pc(*+)-C60(*-) in a polar solvent occurs directly to the ground state in 30-70 ps. In a nonpolar solvent, roughly 20% of the molecules undergo transition from the CS state to phthalocyanine triplet state (3)Pc*-C60 before relaxation to the ground state. Formation of the CS state was confirmed with electron spin resonance measurements at low temperature in both polar and nonpolar solvent. Reaction schemes for the photoinduced ET reactions of the dyads were completed with rate constants obtained from the time-resolved absorption and emission measurements and with state energies obtained from the fluorescence, phosphorescence, and voltammetric measurements.     

Stereoselective fluorescence quenching by photoinduced electron transfer in naphthalene-amine dyads

Intramolecular chiral recognition in electron-transfer-induced fluorescence quenching has been observed for diastereomeric dyads composed of a naphthalene chromophore and an amine.     

The photoinduced electron transference of porphyrin-anthraquinone dyads bridged with different lengths of links

The photoinduced electron transference (PET) interaction in porphyrin containing donor-acceptor (D-A) molecules is of great importance in nature and a significant part of the PET research has been devoted to the study of its mechanism ("through-space" or "through-bond") in these decades. Herein we synthesized a series of covalently linked porphyrin-anthraquinone dyads (Por-C(n)-AQ) bridged with flexible alkoxy chains at different lengths (n=1, 4, 10) and investigated their intramolecular PET using a combination of electronic absorption, steady-state fluorescence and decayed luminescence spectra. The experimental results show that the PET efficiency depends on the length of the flexible linkage between the porphyrin and anthraquinone moieties. Meanwhile, theoretical calculation applying the density functional theory (DFT) was also carried out to give the frontier orbital distribution and the optimized structures of these dyads. It is found that the orientation of the dyad with high PET efficiency is disadvantageous to π-π interaction. Thus, the PET of these dyads seemingly is best compatible with a "through-bond" (superexchange) mechanism.     

Ultrafast fluorescence resonance energy transfer in a bile salt aggregate: Excitation wavelength dependence

Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from Coumarin 153 (C153) to Rhodamine 6G (R6G) in a secondary aggregate of a bile salt (sodium deoxycholate, NaDC) is studied by femtosecond up-conversion. The emission spectrum of C153 in NaDC is analysed in terms of two spectra-one with emission maximum at 480 nm which corresponds to a non-polar and hydrophobic site and another with maximum at ∼530 nm which arises from a polar hydrophilic site. The time constants of FRET were obtained from the rise time of the emission of the acceptor (R6G). In the NaDC aggregate, FRET occurs in multiple time scales — 4 ps and 3700 ps. The 4 ps component is assigned to FRET from a donor (D) to an acceptor (A) held at a close distance (R _DA ∼ 17 ?) inside the bile salt aggregate. The 3700 ps component corresponds to a donor-acceptor distance ∼48 ?. The long (3700 ps) component may involve diffusion of the donor. With increase in the excitation wavelength (λ _ex) from 375 to 435 nm, the relative contribution of the ultrafast component of FRET (∼4 ps) increases from 3 to 40% with a concomitant decrease in the contribution of the ultraslow component (∼3700 ps) from 97 to 60%. The λ _ex dependence is attributed to the presence of donors at different locations. At a long λ _ex (435 nm) donors in the highly polar peripheral region are excited. A short λ _ex (375 nm) ‘selects’ donor at a hydrophobic location.     

Primary photoinduced processes in bimetallic dyads with extended aromatic bridges. tetraazatetrapyridopentacene complexes of ruthenium(II) and osmium(II)

The photophysics of the binuclear complexes [(phen)2M(tatpp)M(phen)2]4+, where M = Ru or Os, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, and tatpp = 9,11,20,22-tetraazatetrapyrido[3,2-a:2'3'-c:3',2'-l:2',3']pentacene, has been studied in acetonitrile and dichloromethane by femtosecond and nanosecond time-resolved techniques. The results demonstrate that complexes of different metals have different types of lowest excited state: a tatpp ligand-centered (LC) triplet in the case of Ru(II); a metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) triplet state in the case of Os(II). The excited-state kinetics is strongly solvent-dependent. In the Ru(II) system, the formation and decay of the LC state take place, respectively, in 25 ps and ca. 5 ns in CH3CN and in 0.5 ps and 1.3 micros in CH2Cl2. These solvent effects can be rationalized on the basis of a thermally activated decay of the LC state through the upper MLCT state. In the Os(II) system, the formation and decay of the MLCT state take place, respectively, in 3.8 and 60 ps in CH3CN and in 0.5 and 4 ps in CH2Cl2. These effects are consistent with the solvent sensitivity of the MLCT energy, in terms of driving force and energy-gap law arguments. The relevance of these results for the use of ladder-type aromatic bridges as potential molecular wires is discussed.     

Hydrogen-bond strengthening upon photoinduced electron transfer in ruthenium-anthraquinone dyads interacting with hexafluoroisopropanol or water

Quinones play a key role as primary electron acceptors in natural photosynthesis, and their reduction is known to be facilitated by hydrogen-bond donors or protonation. In this study, the influence of hydrogen-bond donating solvents on the thermodynamics and kinetics of intramolecular electron transfer between Ru(bpy)(3)(2+) (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) and 9,10-anthraquinone redox partners linked together via one up to three p-xylene units was investigated. Addition of relatively small amounts of hexafluoroisopropanol to dichloromethane solutions of these rigid rodlike donor-bridge-acceptor molecules is found to accelerate intramolecular Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)-to-anthraquinone electron transfer substantially because anthraquinone reduction occurs more easily in the presence of the strong hydrogen-bond donor. Similarly, the rates for intramolecular electron transfer are significantly higher in acetonitrile/water mixtures than in dry acetonitrile. In dichloromethane, an increase in the association constant between hexafluoroisopropanol and anthraquinone by more than 1 order of magnitude following quinone reduction points to a significant strengthening of the hydrogen bonds between the hydroxyl group of hexafluoroisopropanol and the anthraquinone carbonyl functions. The photoinduced intramolecular long-range electron transfer process thus appears to be followed by proton motion; hence the overall photoinduced reaction may be considered a variant of stepwise proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) in which substantial proton density (rather than a full proton) is transferred after the electron transfer has occurred.     

Excitation energy dependence of the Raman spectrum of single-walled carbon nanotubes

We investigate the excitation energy dependence of Raman modes in the 600–1200 cm⁻¹ range. The main features are first, two lines around 860 and 1060 cm⁻¹ independent of the energy and second, energy-dependent couples of lines, each of them composed of one first-order mode and one substractive combination band. In each couple, the frequency of the lines is found to follow a linear, strong and opposite energy dependence.     

Diastereoselective formation of homochiral flexible perylene bisimide cyclophanes and their hybrids with fullerenes

Cyclophanes of different ring sizes featuring perylene-3,4:9,10-tetracarboxylic acid bisimide (PBI) linked by flexible malonates were designed, synthesized, and investigated with respect to their structural, chemical and photo-physical properties. It is predominantly the number of PBIs and their geometric arrangement, which influence dramatically their properties. For example, two-PBI containing cyclophanes reveal physico-chemical characteristics that are governed by strong co-facial π–π interactions. This is in stark contrast to cyclophanes with either three or four PBIs. Key to co-facial π–π stackings are the flexible malonate linkers, which, in turn, set up the ways and means for diastereoselectivity of the homochiral PBIs at low temperatures, on one hand. In terms of selectivity, diastereomeric (M,M)/(P,P) : (M,P)/(P,M) pairs with a ratio of approximately 10 : 1 are discernible in the ¹H NMR spectra in C₂D₂Cl₄ and a complete diastereomeric excess is found in CD₂Cl₂. On the other hand, symmetry-breaking charge transfer as well as charge separation at room temperature are corroborated in steady-state and time-resolved photo-physical investigations. Less favourable are co-facial π–π stackings in the three-PBI containing cyclophanes. For statistical reasons, the diastereoisomers (M,M,M)/(P,P,P) and (M,M,P)/(P,P,M) occur here in a ratio of 1 : 3. In this case, symmetry-breaking charge transfer as well as charge separation are both slowed down. The work was rounded-off by integrating next to the PBIs, for the first time, hydrophobic or hydrophilic fullerenes into the resulting cyclophanes. Our novel fullerene–PBI cyclophanes reveal unprecedented diastereoselective formation of homochiral (M,M)/(P,P) pairs exceeding the traditional host–guest approach. Hybridization with fullerenes allows us to modulate the resulting solubility, stacking, cavity and chirality, which is of tremendous interest in the field.

Perylene bisimide (PBI) cyclophanes linked by flexible malonates were functionalized with fullerenes. Modulation of the chemical environment enhances the chiral self-sorting, leading exclusively to the homochiral diastereomeric pair (M,M)/(P,P).     

Generation of phosphorescent triplet states via photoinduced electron transfer: energy and electron transfer dynamics in Pt porphyrin-Rhodamine B dyads

Control over generation and dynamics of excited electronic states is fundamental to their utilization in all areas of technology. We present the first example of multichromophoric systems in which emissive triplet states are generated via a pathway involving photoinduced electron transfer (ET), as opposed to local intrachromophoric processes. In model dyads, PtP-Ph(n)-pRhB(+) (1-3, n = 1-3), comprising platinum(II) meso-tetraarylporphyrin (PtP) and Rhodamine B piperazine derivative (pRhB(+)), linked by oligo-p-phenylene bridges (Ph(n)), upon selective excitation of pRhB(+) at a frequency below that of the lowest allowed transition of PtP, room-temperature T(1)→S(0) phosphorescence of PtP was observed. The pathway leading to the emissive PtP triplet state includes excitation of pRhB(+), ET with formation of the singlet radical pair, intersystem crossing within that pair, and subsequent radical recombination. Because of the close proximity of the triplet energy levels of PtP and pRhB(+), reversible triplet-triplet (TT) energy transfer between these states was observed in dyads 1 and 2. As a result, the phosphorescence of PtP was extended in time by the long decay of the pRhB(+) triplet. Observation of ET and TT in the same series of molecules enabled direct comparison of the distance attenuation factors β between these two closely related processes.