Contrasting Photoinduced Electron-Transfer Properties of Two Closely Related, Rigidly Linked Porphyrin−Quinone Dyads

Abstract

Two closely related, rigidly linked porphyrin−naphthoquinone dyads have been prepared and studied using time-resolved fluorescence and absorption methods. Dyad 1, whose quinone carbonyl groups are relatively close to the porphyrin macrocycle, exhibits photoinduced electron-transfer rate constants that are virtually independent of solvent dielectric constant and temperature within the range 77−295 K. Dyad 2, which has a similar donor−acceptor linkage but whose quinone carbonyl groups are ∼2 A farther from the porphyrin, features photoinduced electron-transfer rate constants that decrease with decreasing solvent dielectric constant. Electron transfer in this molecule ceases at low temperatures. Photoinduced electron transfer in dyad 2 exhibits the usual dependence on free energy change and solvent reorganization observed in many similar porphyrin−quinone systems. The behavior of 1 may be attributed at least in part to the smaller separation of the porphyrin radical cation and the quinone radical anion, whic...