Photoinduced electron transfer in supramolecular assemblies of transition metal complexes

Photoinduced electron transfer in supramolecular assemblies consisting of π-donor dialkoxyarene-functionalized photosensitizers and bipyridinium electron acceptors is examined. The photosensitizers include Ru(II)-tris-bipyridine complexes tethered by multi-branch one- shell and two-shell dialkoxybenzene π-donor sites or a Zn(II)-porphyrin capped by a dialkoxybenzene receptor site. The photosensitizer/electron-acceptor supramolecular complexes behave as non-covalent diads and polyads. Effective internal electron transfer quenching within the supramolecular assemblies proceeds. A quantitative model that accounts for the photoinduced electron transfer in the systems is formulated.