Electron Transfer within Self-Assembling Cyclic Tetramers Using Chlorophyll-Based Donor-Acceptor Building Blocks
- NWU
The synthesis and photoinduced charge transfer properties of a series of Chl-based donor-acceptor triad building blocks that self-assemble into cyclic tetramers are reported. Chlorophyll a was converted into zinc methyl 3-ethylpyrochlorophyllide a (Chl) and then further modified at its 20-position to covalently attach a pyromellitimide (PI) acceptor bearing a pyridine ligand and one or two naphthalene-1,8:4,5-bis(dicarboximide) (NDI) secondary electron acceptors to give Chl-PI-NDI and Chl-PI-NDI2. The pyridine ligand within each ambident triad enables intermolecular Chl metal-ligand coordination in dry toluene, which results in the formation of cyclic tetramers in solution, as determined using small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering at a synchrotron source. Femtosecond and nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy of the monomers in toluene-1% pyridine and the cyclic tetramers in toluene shows that the selective photoexcitation of Chl results in intramolecular electron transfer from 1*Chl to PI to form Chl+.-PI-.-NDI and Chl+.-PI-.-NDI2. This initial charge separation is followed by a rapid charge shift from PI-. to NDI and subsequent charge recombination of Chl+.-PI-NDI-. and Chl+.-PI-(NDI)NDI-. on a 5-30 ns time scale. Charge recombination in the Chl-PI-NDI2 cyclic tetramer (τCR = 30 ± 1 ns in toluene) is slower by a factor of 3 relative to the monomeric building blocks (τCR = 10 ± 1 ns in toluene-1% pyridine). This indicates that the self-assembly of these building blocks into the cyclic tetramers alters their structures in a way that lengthens their charge separation lifetimes, which is an advantageous strategy for artificial photosynthetic systems.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source (APS)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- UNIVERSITYDOE - BASIC ENERGY SCIENCES
- OSTI ID:
- 1038270
- Journal Information:
- Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol. 134, Issue (9) ; 03, 2012; ISSN 0002-7863
- Publisher:
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- ENGLISH
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