Intramolecular electron transfer within a covalent, fixed-distance donor-acceptor molecule in an ionic liquid

Intramolecular photoinduced charge separation and recombination within the donor-acceptor molecule 4-(N-pyrrolidino)naphthalene-1,8-imide-pyromellitimide, 5ANI-PI, are studied using ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy in the room-temperature ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide [EMIM][Tf2N]. The rate constants of both photoinduced charge separation and charge recombination for 5ANI-PI in [EMIM][Tf2N] are comparable to those observed in pyridine, which has a static dielectric constant similar to that of [EMIM][Tf2N] but a viscosity that is nearly 2 orders of magnitude lower than that of [EMIM][Tf2N]. The electron-transfer dynamics of 5ANI-PI in [EMIM][Tf2N] are compared to those in pyridine as a function of temperature and are discussed in the context of recently reported ionic liquid solvation studies.