Photoinduced electron transfer across oligo-p-phenylene bridges. Distance and conformational effects in Ru(II)-Rh(III) dyads

A series of rodlike ruthenium(II)-rhodium(III) polypyridine dyads based on modular oligo-p-phenylene bridges, of the general formula [(Me2phen)2Ru-bpy-(ph)n-bpy-Rh(Me2bpy)]5+ (Me2phen=4,7-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline; bpy=2,2'-bipyridine; ph=1,4-phenylene; n=1-3), have been synthesized and their photophysical properties investigated. The dyad [(Me2bpy)2Ru-bpy-(ph)3'-bpy-Rh(Me2bpy)]5+ with the central phenylene unit bearing two hexyl chains has also been studied. The metal-to-metal distance reaches 24 A for the longest (n=3) spacer in the series. For all of the dyads in a room-temperature CH3CN solution, quenching of the typical metal-to-ligand charge-transfer luminescence of the Ru-based chromophoric unit is observed, indicating that an efficient intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer from the excited Ru moiety to the Rh-based unit takes place. The rate constants for the electron-transfer process have been determined by time-resolved emission and absorption spectroscopy in the nanosecond and picosecond time scale. An exponential dependence of experimental transfer rates on the bridge length is observed, consistent with a superexchange mechanism. An attenuation factor beta of 0.65 A(-1) is determined, in line with the behavior of other systems containing oligo-p-phenylene spacers. Interestingly, for n=3, the presence/absence of hexyl substituents in the central p-phenylene ring causes a 10-fold difference in the rates between otherwise identical dyads. This comparison highlights the importance of the twist angle between adjacent spacers on the overall through-bond donor-acceptor coupling.     

Controlling short- and long-range electron transfer processes in molecular dyads and triads

Novel pi-extended tetrathiafulvalene (exTTF)-based donor acceptor hybrids-dyads and triads-have been synthesized following a multistep synthetic procedure. Cyclic voltammetry and absorption spectroscopy, conducted in room temperature solutions, reveal features that are identical to the sum of the separate donor and acceptor moieties. Steady-state and time-resolved photolytic techniques confirm that upon photoexcitation of the fullerene chromophore, rapid (1.25 x 10(10) s(-1)) and efficient (67 %) charge separation leads to long-lived, charge-separated radical pairs. Typical lifetimes for the dyad ensembles range between 54 and 460 ns, with the longer values found in more polar solvents. This indicates that the dynamics are located in the 'normal region' of the Marcus curve. In the triads, subsequent charge shifts transform the adjacent radical pair into the distant radical pair, for which we determined lifetimes of up to 111 micros in DMF-values never previously accomplished in molecular triads. In the final charge-separated state, large donor-acceptor separation (center-to-center distances: approximately 30 A) minimizes the coupling between reduced acceptor and oxidized donor. Analysis of the charge recombination kinetics shows that a stepwise mechanism accounts for the unusually long lifetimes.     

Ultrafast processes in bimetallic dyads with extended aromatic bridges. Energy and electron transfer pathways in tetrapyridophenazine-bridged complexes

The energy and electron transfer processes taking place in binuclear polypyridine complexes of ruthenium and osmium based on the tetrapyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c:3' ',2' '-h:2' "-3' "-j]phenazine bridging ligand (tpphz) have been investigated by ultrafast absorption spectroscopy. In the binuclear complexes, each chromophore is characterized by two spectrally distinguishable metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) excited states: MLCT1 (with promoted electron mainly localized on the bpy-like portion of tpphz, higher energy) and MLCT0 (with promoted electron mainly localized on the pyrazine-like portion of tpphz, lower energy). In the homodinuclear complexes Ru(II)-Ru(II) and Os(II)-Os(II), MLCT1 --> MLCT0 relaxation (intraligand electron transfer) is observed, with strongly solvent-dependent kinetics (ca. 10(-10) s in CH2Cl2, ca. 10(-12) s in CH3CN). In the heterodinuclear Ru(II)-Os(II) complex, *Ru(II)-Os(II) --> Ru(II)-Os(II) energy transfer takes place by two different sequences of time-resolved processes, depending on the solvent: (a) in CH2Cl2, ruthenium-to-osmium energy transfer at the MLCT1 level followed by MLCT1 --> MLCT0 relaxation in the osmium chromophore, (b) in CH3CN, MLCT1 --> MLCT0 relaxation in the ruthenium chromophore followed by osmium-to-ruthenium metal-to-metal electron transfer. In the mixed-valence Ru(II)-Os(III) species, the *Ru(II)-Os(III) --> Ru(III)-Os(II) electron transfer quenching is found to proceed by two consecutive steps in CH3CN: intraligand electron transfer followed by ligand-to-metal electron transfer. On a longer time scale, charge recombination leads back to the ground state. Altogether, the results show that the tpphz bridge plays an active mechanistic role in these systems, efficiently mediating the transfer processes with its electronic levels.     

Electron transfer across modular oligo-p-phenylene bridges in Ru(bpy)2(bpy-ph(n)-DQ)4+ (n = 1-5) dyads. Unusual effects of bridge elongation

A series of dyads of general formula Ru(bpy)(2)(bpy-ph(n)-DQ)(4+) (n = 1-5), based on a Ru(II) polypyridine unit as photoexcitable donor, a set of oligo-p-phenylene bridges with 1-5 modular units, and a cyclo-diquaternarized 2,2'-bipyridine (DQ(2+)) as electron acceptor unit, have been synthesized. Their spectroscopic and photophysical properties have been investigated in CH(3)CN and CH(2)Cl(2) by time-resolved emission and absorption spectroscopy in the nanosecond and picosecond time scale. The experimental study has also been complemented with a computational investigation carried out on the whole series of dyads. The absorption spectra of the dyads show new spectroscopic transitions, in addition to those characteristic of the donor, bridge, and acceptor fragments. DFT calculations suggest the assignment of such bands as bridge-to-acceptor (π ph(n)) → (π* DQ) charge-transfer transitions. This assignment is consistent with the solvatochromic and spectroelectrochemical behavior of the new bands. For all the dyads at room temperature in fluid solution, the typical (3)MLCT luminescence of the Ru(II) polypyridine unit is strongly (>90%) quenched, supporting the occurrence of an efficient intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer. The study has revealed, however, that the photophysical mechanism is actually more complex than presumed on the basis of a simple photoinduced electron-transfer scheme. For n = 1, very fast (few picoseconds) photoinduced electron transfer from the MLCT state localized on the substituted bpy ligand to the DQ unit has been observed, followed by slower interligand hopping and charge recombination. For n = 2-5, MLCT excited-state quenching takes place without transient detection of charge-separated product, indicating that charge recombination is faster than charge separation. This behavior can be rationalized in terms of the superexchange couplings expected through this type of bridges for the two processes. The kinetics of MLCT quenching in the dyads with n = 1-5 does not follow the usual exponential falloff with bridge length: after a regular decrease for n = 1-3, the rate constants become almost insensitive to bridge length for n = 3-5. The rationale of this uncommon behavior, as suggested by DFT calculations, lies in a switch in the MLCT quenching mechanism with increasing bridge length, from oxidative quenching by the DQ acceptor to reductive quenching by the bridge.     

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.     

Exploring the effects of solvents on an organic explosive: Insights from the electron structure,electrostatic potential,and conformational transformations of 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane

In order to attain comprehensive insights into the crystallization of 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) from solutions, the geometric and electronic structures and conformational transformations of its β-, γ-, ε-, ζ- and η- forms in six organic solvents (ethanol, ethyl acetate, methanol, acetone, acetonitrile, and 2-propanol) were evaluated using quantum chemistry calculations. Results showed that solvents have little effect on the geometric structures of molecules but greatly impact the energy and electronic structure of CL-20. The electron density, atomic charges, and electrostatic potential of CL-20 exhibit polarization due to the solvent effect, especially in alcohols. The polarity of CL-20 increased because of the change in electron density. The transformations of the five conformers of CL-20 were studied thoroughly, and the energy barriers were evaluated using the Gibbs energies. Importantly, the reason η-CL-20 is only found in CL-20-based cocrystals was suggested. These results indicate that solvents play a critical role in crystal growth.     

Photoinduced electron transfer in covalent ruthenium-anthraquinone dyads: relative importance of driving-force, solvent polarity, and donor-bridge energy gap

Four rigid rod-like molecules comprised of a Ru(bpy)(3)(2+) (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) photosensitizer, a 9,10-anthraquinone electron acceptor, and a molecular bridge connecting the two redox partners were synthesized and investigated by optical spectroscopic and electrochemical means. An attempt was made to assess the relative importance of driving-force, solvent polarity, and bridge variation on the rates of photoinduced electron transfer in these molecules. Expectedly, introduction of tert-butyl substituents in the bipyridine ligands of the ruthenium complex and a change in solvent from dichloromethane to acetonitrile lead to a significant acceleration of charge transfer rates. In dichloromethane, photoinduced electron transfer is not competitive with the inherent excited-state deactivation processes of the photosensitizer. In acetonitrile, an increase in driving-force by 0.2 eV through attachment of tert-butyl substituents to the bpy ancillary ligands causes an increase in electron transfer rates by an order of magnitude. Replacement of a p-xylene bridge by a p-dimethoxybenzene spacer entails an acceleration of charge transfer rates by a factor of 3.5. In the dyads from this study, the relative order of importance of individual influences on electron transfer rates is therefore as follows: solvent polarity ≥ driving-force > donor-bridge energy gap.     

Probing molecular wires: synthesis, structural, and electronic study of donor-acceptor assemblies exhibiting long-range electron transfer

A series of donor-acceptor arrays (C60-oligo-PPV-exTTF; 16-20) incorporating pi-conjugated oligo(phenylenevinylene) wires (oligo-PPV) of different length between pi-extended tetrathiafulvalene (exTTF) as electron donor and C60 as electron acceptor has been prepared by multistep convergent synthetic approaches. The electronic interactions between the three electroactive species present in 16-20 were investigated by UV-visible spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Our studies clearly show that, although the C60 units are connected to the exTTF donors through a pi-conjugated oligo-PPV framework, no significant electronic interactions are observed in the ground state. Interestingly, photoinduced electron-transfer processes over distances of up to 50 Angstroms afford highly stabilized radical ion pairs. The measured lifetimes for the photogenerated charge-separated states are in the range of hundreds of nanoseconds (approximately 500 ns) in benzonitrile, regardless of the oligomer length (i.e., from the monomer to the pentamer). A different lifetime (4.35 micros) is observed for the heptamer-containing array. This difference in lifetime has been accounted for by the loss of planarity of the oPPV moiety that increases with the wire length, as established by semi-empirical (PM3) theoretical calculations carried out with 19 and 20. The charge recombination dynamics reveal a very low attenuation factor (beta = 0.01 +/- 0.005 Angstroms(-1)). This beta value, as well as the strong electron coupling (V approximately 5.5 cm(-1)) between the donor and the acceptor units, clearly reveals a nanowire behavior for the pi-conjugated oligomer, which paves the way for applications in nanotechnology.     

Synthesis and electron transfer studies of ruthenium-terpyridine-based dyads attached to nanostructured TiO2

A series of bis(terpyridine)RuII complexes have been prepared, where one of the terpyridines is functionalized in the 4'-position by a phosphonic or carboxylic acid group for attachment to TiO2. The other is functionalized, also in the 4'-position, by a potential electron donor. In complexes 1a, 3a, and 4a,b, this donor is tyrosine or hydrogen-bonded tyrosine, while in 2a it is carotenoic amide. The synthesis and photophysical properties of the complexes are discussed. On irradiation with visible light, the formation of a long-lived charge-separated state was anticipated, via primary electron ejection into the TiO2, followed by secondary electron transfer from the donor to the photogenerated RuIII. However, such a charge-separated state could be observed with certainty only with complex 2a. To explain the result, quantum chemical calculations were performed on the different types of complexes.     

Ligand structure, conformational dynamics, and excited-state electron delocalization for control of photoinduced electron transfer rates in synthetic donor-bridge-acceptor systems

Synthesis, ground-, and excited-state properties are reported for two new electron donor-bridge-acceptor (D-B-A) molecules and two new photophysical model complexes. The D-B-A molecules are [Ru(bpy)2(bpy-phi-MV)](PF6)4 (3) and [Ru(tmb)2(bpy-phi-MV)](PF6)4 (4), where bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine, tmb is 4,4',5,5'-tetramethyl-2,2'-bipyridine, MV is methyl viologen, and phi is a phenylene spacer. Their model complexes are [Ru(bpy)2(p-tol-bpy)](PF6)2 (1) and [Ru(tmb)2(p-tol-bpy)](PF6)2 (2), where p-tolyl-bpy is 4-(p-tolyl)-2,2'-bipyridine. Photophysical characterization of 1 and 2 indicates that 2.17 eV and 2.12 eV are stored in their respective (3)MLCT (metal-to-ligand charge transfer) excited state. These values along with electrochemical measurements show that photoinduced electron transfer (D*-B-A-->D (+)-B-A(-)) is favorable in 3 and 4 with DeltaG degrees(ET)=-0.52 eV and -0.62 eV, respectively. The driving force for the reverse process (D(+)-B-A(-) --> D-B-A) is also reported: DeltaG degrees(BET)=-1.7 eV for 3 and -1.5 eV for 4. Transient absorption (TA) spectra for 3 and 4 in 298 K acetonitrile provide evidence that reduced methyl viologen is observable at 50 ps following excitation. Detailed TA kinetics confirm this, and the data are fit to a model to determine both forward (k(ET)) and back (k(BET)) electron transfer rate constants: k(ET)=2.6 x 10(10) s(-1) for 3 and 2.8 x 10(10) s(-1) for 4; k(BET)=0.62 x 10(10) s(-1) for 3 and 1.37 x 10(10) s(-1) for 4. The similar rate constants k ET for 3 and 4 despite a 100 meV driving force (DeltaG degrees(ET)) increase suggests that forward electron transfer in these molecules in room temperature acetonitrile is nearly barrierless as predicted by the Marcus theory. The reduction in electron transfer reorganization energy necessary for this barrierless reactivity is attributed to excited-state electron delocalization in the (3)MLCT excited states of 3 and 4, an effect that is made possible by excited-state conformational changes in the aryl-substituted ligands of these complexes.     

Slow electron transfer rates for fluorinated cobalt porphyrins: electronic and conformational factors modulating metalloporphyrin ET

The electron transfer (ET) properties of a series of closely related cobalt porphyrins, [2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octafluoro-5,10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrinato]cobalt, CoF(28)TPP, [2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octafluoro-5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl)porphyrinato]cobalt, CoF(8)TPP, 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrinato]cobalt, CoF(20)TPP, and [5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrinato]cobalt, CoTPP, were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, cyclic voltammetric digital simulation, in situ UV-vis and IR spectroelectrochemistry, kinetic ET studies, bulk electrolysis, (19)F NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, and molecular modeling. In benzonitrile containing 0.1 M tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate (TBAPF(6)) as supporting electrolyte, the ET rate constants for the Co(2+/3+) redox couples were found to be strongly substituent dependent; the heterogeneous ET rate constant (k(el)) varied by a factor of 10(4), and the ET self-exchange rate constants (k(ex)) varied over 7 orders of magnitude for the compounds studied. The remaining observed ring oxidation and metal and ring reduction events exhibited nearly identical k(el) values for all compounds. UV-vis and IR spectroelectrochemistry, bulk electrolysis, and (19)F NMR spectroscopic studies support attribution of different ET rates to widely varying inner sphere reorganization energies (lambda(i)) for these closely related compounds. Structural and semiempirical (PM3) studies indicate that the divergent kinetic behavior of CoTPP, CoF(8)TPP, CoF(20)TPP, and CoF(28)TPP first oxidations arises mainly from large nuclear reorganization energies primarily associated with core contraction and dilation. Taken together, these studies provide rational design principles for modulating ET rate constants in cobalt porphyrins over an even larger range and provide strategies for similar manipulation of ET rates in other porphyrin-based systems: substituents that lower C-C, C-N, and N-M vibrational frequencies or minimize porphyrin orbital overlap with the metal-centered orbital undergoing a change in electron population will increase k(ET). The heme ruffling apparent in electron transfer proteins such as cytochrome c is interpreted as nature's exploitation of this design strategy.     

Ab initio study of long-range electron transfer between biphenyl anion radical and naphthalene

After the separation of the donor, the acceptor, and the σ-type bridge from the π-σ-π system, the geometries of biphenyl, biphenyl anion radical, naphthalene, and naphthalene anion radical are optimized, and then the reorganization energy for the intermolecular electron transfer (ET) at the levels of HF/4-31G and HF/DZP is calculated. The ET matrix elements of the self-exchange reactions of theπ-σ-π systems have been calculated by means of both the direct calculation based on the variational principle, and the transition energy between the molecular orbitals at the linear coordinateR = 0.5. For the cross reactions, the ET matrix element and the geometry of the transition state are determined by searching the minimum energy splitting Δ_min along the reaction coordinate. In the evaluation of the solvent reorganization energy of the ET in solution, the Marcus’ two- sphere model has been invoked. A few of ET rate constants for the intramolecular ET reactions for the π-σ-π systems, which contain the biphenylyl as the donor and both biphenylyl and naphthyl as the acceptor, have been obtained. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 29706104 and 29573112), the State Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry of Jilin University.     

Water bridges are essential to neonicotinoids: Insights from synthesis,bioassay and molecular modelling studies

To identify the detailed roles of water bridges in neonicotinoids recognition, twenty-four neonicotinoids compounds were designed, synthesized, bioassayed and modelled. Of all nine fragments mimicking water bridges, cyano group was the optimal one. The insecticidal activities indicated that the water bridge might be stable in the active site and was not suitable to be replaced by other groups, which highlighted the significance of water bridges for neonicotinoids.     

Ab initio study of long-range electron transfer between biphenyl anion radical and naphthalene

After the separation of the donor, the aeceptor, and the σ-type bridge from the π-σ-π system, the geometries of biphenyl, biphenyl anion radical, naphthalene, and naphthalene anion radical are optimized, and then the reorganization energy for the intermolecular electron transfer (ET) at the levels of HF/4-31G and HF/DZP is calculated. The ET matrix elements of the self-exchange reactions of the π-σ-π systems have been calculated by means of both the direct calculation based on the variational principle, and the transition energy between the molecular orbitals at the linear coordinate R=0.5. For the cross reactions, the ET matrix element and the geometry of the transition state are determined by searching the minimum energy splitting △_(min) along the reaction coordinate. In the evaluation of the solvent reorganization energy of the ET in solution, the Marcus' two-sphere model has been invoked. A few of ET rate constants for the intramolecular ET reactions for the π-σ-π systems, which contain     

Ruthenium(ii) bis(terpyridine) electron transfer complexes with alkynyl-ferrocenyl bridges: synthesis, structures, and electrochemical and spectroscopic studies

Two novel alkynyl-bridged symmetric bis-tridentate ligands 1,2-bis(1'-[4'-(2,2':6',2'-terpyridinyl)]ferrocenyl)ethyne (; tpy-Fc-C[triple bond, length as m-dash]C-Fc-tpy; Fc = ferrocenyl; tpy = terpyridyl) and 1,4-bis(1'-[4'-(2,2':6',2'-terpyridinyl)]ferrocenyl)-1,3-butadiyne (; tpy-Fc-C[triple bond, length as m-dash]C-C[triple bond, length as m-dash]C-Fc-tpy) and their Ru(2+) complexes and have been synthesized and characterized by cyclic voltammetry, UV-vis and luminescence spectroscopy, and in the case of by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Cyclic voltammograms of both compounds, and , display two severely overlapping ferrocene-based oxidative peaks with only one reductive peak. The redox behavior of and is dominated by the Ru(2+)/Ru(3+) redox couple (E(1/2) from 1.33 to 1.34 V), the Fe(2+)/Fe(3+) redox couples (E(1/2) from 0.46 to 0.80 V), and the tpy/tpy(-)/tpy(2-) redox couples (E(1/2) from -1.19 to -1.48 V). The UV-vis spectra of and show absorption bands assigned to the (1)[(d(π)(Fe))(6)] → (1)[(d(π)(Fe))(5)(π*(tpy)(Ru))(1)] MMLCT transition at ～555 nm. Complexes and are luminescent in H(2)O-CH(3)CN (4?:?1, v/v) solution at room temperature, and exhibits the strongest luminescence intensity (λ(max)(em): 710 nm, Φ(em): 2.28 × 10(-4), τ: 358 ns) relative to analogous ferrocene-based bis(terpyridine) Ru(ii) complexes reported so far.     

Tuning the rate and pH accessibility of a conformational electron transfer gate

Methods to fine-tune the rate of a fast conformational electron transfer (ET) gate involving a His-heme alkaline conformer of iso-1-cytochrome c (iso-1-Cytc) and to adjust the pH accessibility of a slow ET gate involving a Lys-heme alkaline conformer are described. Fine-tuning the fast ET gate employs a strategy of making surface mutations in a substructure unfolded in the alkaline conformer. To make the slow ET gate accessible at neutral pH, the strategy involves mutations at buried sequence positions which are expected to more strongly perturb the stability of native versus alkaline iso-1-Cytc. To fine-tune the rate of the fast His 73-heme ET gate, we mutate the surface-exposed Lys 79 to Ala (A79H73 variant). This mutation also simplifies ET gating by removing Lys 79, which can serve as a ligand in the alkaline conformer of iso-1-Cytc. To adjust the pH accessibility of the slow Lys 73-heme ET gate, we convert the buried side chain Asn 52 to Gly and also mutate Lys 79 to Ala to simplify ET gating (A79G52 variant). ET kinetics is studied as a function of pH using hexaammineruthenium(II) chloride (a6Ru2+) to reduce the variants. Both variants show fast direct ET reactions dependent on [a6Ru2+] and slower gated ET reactions that are independent of [a6Ru2+]. The observed gated ET rates correlate well with rates for the alkaline-to-native state conformational change measured independently. Together with the previously reported H73 variant (Baddam, S.; Bowler, B. E. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 9702-9703), the A79H73 variant allows His 73-heme-mediated ET gating to be fine-tuned from 75 to 200 ms. The slower Lys 73-heme (15-20 s time scale) ET gate for the A79G52 variant is now accessible over the pH range 6-8.     

Competition between energy transfer and interligand electron transfer in porphyrin-osmium(II) bis(2,2':6',2' '-terpyridine) dyads

Rapid intramolecular energy transfer occurs from a free-base porphyrin to an attached osmium(II) bis(2,2':6',2' '-terpyridine) complex, most likely by way of the F?rster dipole-dipole mechanism. The initially formed metal-to-ligand, charge-transfer (MLCT) excited-singlet state localized on the metal complex undergoes very fast intersystem crossing to form the corresponding triplet excited state ((3)MLCT). This latter species transfers excitation energy to the (3)pi,pi* triplet state associated with the porphyrin moiety, such that the overall effect is to catalyze intersystem crossing for the porphyrin. Interligand electron transfer (ILET) to the distal terpyridine ligand, for which there is no driving force, competes poorly with triplet energy transfer from the proximal (3)MLCT to the porphyrin. Equipping the distal ligand with an ethynylene residue provides the necessary driving force for ILET and this process now competes effectively with triplet energy transfer to the porphyrin. The rate constants for all the relevant processes have been derived from laser flash photolysis studies.     

Effects of dipole moment, linkers, and chromophores at side chains on long-range electron transfer through helical peptides

Octadecapeptides carrying a ferrocene moiety at the molecular terminal were self-assembled on gold, and long-range electron transfer from the ferrocene moiety to gold was investigated by electrochemical methods. Effects on electron transfer of dipole moment of helical peptides, linkers connecting the peptide to gold, and chromophores introduced into the side chains were discussed. Cyclic voltammetry of the monolayers in an aqueous solution revealed that long-range electron transfer over 40 A occurred along the peptide molecule. Chronoamperometry showed that the long-range electron transfer should be ascribed to a hopping mechanism with use of amide groups as hopping sites. Electron transfer through the long peptide was not significantly accelerated by the dipole moment. However, the linker remarkably affected electron transfer depending on whether it was a methylene chain or a phenylene group, suggesting that local electron transfer between gold and the peptides should be the slowest step to determine the overall rate. Pyrenyl groups introduced into the side chains in the middle of the peptide molecule did not noticeably change electron transfer, probably because pyrenyl groups were too distant to allow direct electron transfer between them. Electrostatic potential profiles across the peptide monolayers were also calculated to explain reasonably the several interesting features in the present peptide systems.