Coordinated Photoinduced Electron and Proton Transfer in a Molecular Triad

Abstract

Excitation of carotenoid-porphyrin-quinone (C-P-Q) triads yields the porphyrin first excited singlet state, which decays by electron transfer to give a C-P[sup [center dot]+]-Q[sup [center dot]-] charge-separated state. Competing with rapid charge recombination is electron transfer from the carotenoid to produce a long-lived C[sup [center dot]+]-P-Q[sup [center dot]-] species. High quantum yields of the final state require tuning of electronic and thermodynamic factors to favor forward electron transfer over charge recombination. Triad 1 illustrates a new strategy for slowing charge recombination based on coupling photoinduced electron transfer to a change in proton chemical potential. The quantum yields and lifetimes of the final charge-separated states in the triads were assessed by monitoring the transient carotenoid radical cation absorptions. The results demonstrate that the yield of charge separation in multicomponent molecular photovoltaics can be increased by a coordinated electron and proton transfer process. It is also interesting that in 1 a substantial fraction of the intramolecular redox potential produced by photoinduced electron transfer is transformed into proton chemical potential. Elaboration of this concept could lead to photoinduced generation of proton motive force in a heterogeneous system. 24 refs., 3 figs.