A Selective Metal‐Mediated Approach for the Efficient Self‐Assembling of Multi‐Component Photoactive Systems

Abstract

AbstractWe report on the efficient use of different coordinative affinities to quantitatively construct a three‐component multichromophore system containing one free‐base porphyrin, one aluminium(III) monopyridylporphyrin, and one ruthenium(II) tetraphenylporphyrin in a single step. The AlIII monopyridylporphyrin plays the pivotal role in directing the correct self‐assembly process, and it behaves as the antenna unit for the photoinduced processes of interest. A two‐component system, containing the same free‐base porphyrin and one aluminium(III) tetraphenylporphyrin, was prepared for comparative studies. Both systems are remarkably stable in chlorinated solutions. Their photophysical behaviour was studied in detail by stationary and time‐resolved emission techniques. In the two‐component system, fast and efficient singlet energy transfer from the Al–porphyrin to the free‐base porphyrin is observed; in the three‐component system, upon excitation of the Al–porphyrin, a fast (<250 ps) electron transfer process from the Ru–porphyrin to the aluminium–porphyrin is observed.