Structural control of ultrafast electron transfer in PpcA-Ru(bpy)3 complexes

Abstract

Converting light energy into its electrochemical equivalent requires precise control and fine-tuning of relevant kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of electron transfer (ET) steps. A particularly big challenge for artificial photosynthesis is to create the primary charge separation on the ultrafast (sub-nanosecond) time scale, as slower reactions are likely to require precious metal photosensitizers and produce significant amounts of reactive oxygen species. However, the structural requirements for ultrafast ET are poorly understood.