(Invited) Bodipy-Nanocarbon Hybrids for Mimicking Early Events of Natural Photosynthesis

Abstract

Mimicking the early events of natural photosynthesis, and utilizing that information to build energy harvesting devices is considered one of the avenues to tap into the vast amount of solar energy. Research performed on this topic by scientists across the globe has been highly promising and has strengthened our fundamental understanding of natural and artificial photosynthesis. In the process of mimicking the early events of photosynthesis, excitation transfer and electron transfer in a sequential fashion, similar to what happens in the antenna and reaction centre of natural photosynthesis, are deemed to be of paramount interest. Accordingly, supramolecular donor-acceptor systems capable of performing these photo processes are considered very important. Although several donor-acceptor systems are known to undergo either energy transfer or electron transfer or simultaneous occurrence of these two photo processes in competition upon photoexcitation, there are not many systems where energy transfer and electron transfer in a sequential route have been reported. Nanocarbons such as fullerenes, single wall carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide, and graphene have been widely used in the construction of such multi-modular donor-acceptor systems. Porphyrins and phthalocyanines are class of widely used photosensitizers. In recent years, application BF2-chelated dipyrromethene (BODIPY) and BF2-chealted azadipyrromethene (azaBODIPYs), in building artificial photosynthetic models have witnessed a rapid growth. This is primarily due to the synthetic versatility of these sensitizers to couple with nanocarbons to modulate their photo- and redox properties to promote efficient photoinduced energy and electron transfer processes. In few instances, accomplishing the combined ‘antenna-reaction center’ functionality of photosynthesis has been possible. The present contribution summarizes recent progress made in our laboratory in this area of research.