Design and photochemical study of supramolecular donor–acceptor systems assembled via metal–ligand axial coordination

Introducing Pyridone[α]-Fused BOPHYs as Red-Shifted Bright Fluorophore Potentially Useful as Non-fullerene Acceptors in Donor-Acceptor Dyads

A series of 2-pyridone[α]-fused BOPHYs 6-8 were prepared via a two-step procedure involving the preparation of enamine, followed by an intramolecular heterocyclization reaction. In addition to being fully conjugated with the BOPHY core pyridone fragment, BOPHYs 7 and 8 have a pyridine group connected to the BOPHY core via one- or two -CH2- groups. New BOPHYs were characterized by spectroscopy as well as X-ray diffraction. Conjugation of the pyridone fragment into the BOPHY core results in a significant red shift of the absorption and fluorescence while maintaining extremely high fluorescence quantum yields. Axial coordination and photophysical properties of the supramolecular dyads formed between pyridine-appended pyridone-fused BOPHYs 7 and 8 with TPPF20Zn (TPPF20Zn = zinc 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin) were investigated using UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy and gave a binding constant in the range of 1.46 × 105 to 4.6 × 105 M-1. The electronic structures and excited-state properties of new BOPHYs 6-8 and their donor-acceptor assemblies with TPPF20Zn were studied by the density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TDDFT). The HOMO and HOMO - 1 of supramolecular complexes TPPF20Zn-7/8 are TPPF20Zn centered, while the LUMO is localized on the BOPHY entity, allowing potential HOMO → LUMO charge transfer from the TPPF20Zn donor to the BOPHY acceptor.

Toward Automated DNA Nanoprinting: Advancing the Synthesis of Covalently Branched DNA

Covalently branched DNA molecules are hybrid structures where a small molecule core is covalently linked to different DNA strands. They merge the programmability of DNA nanotechnology with synthetic molecules' functionality, offering enhanced stability over their non-covalent counterparts like double-crossover tiles. They enable the efficient assembly of stable DNA nanostructures with new geometries and functionalities. These motifs can be prepared through "DNA printing", which uses a DNA nanostructure as a temporary template to covalently transfer specific DNA strands to a small molecule core. Here, the "printing" process is streamlined with DNA-immobilized polystyrene microspheres, laying the foundation for future automated DNA printing devices. First, the DNA template hybridizes with reactive complementary strands, which are then crosslinked using a small molecule. Second, beads with fully complementary molecules capture the "daughter" products by strand displacement. This ensures high product yields and high recovery of the "mother" template for reuse. This method allows the precise transfer of different DNA strands onto various small molecules, including aromatics and functional porphyrins. Notably, these branching motifs exhibit remarkable stability toward nucleases without any specialized modifications. Moreover, they can serve as robust building blocks for precise assembly of 3D structures, such as an addressable tetrahedron from only two components.

Ultra-fast photoelectron transfer in bimetallic porphyrin optoelectrode for single neuron modulation

Shrinking the size of photoelectrodes into the nanoscale will enable the precise modulation of cellular and subcellular behaviors of a single neuron and neural circuits. However, compared to photovoltaic devices, the reduced size causes the compromised efficiencies. Here, we present a highly efficient nanoelectrode based on bimetallic zinc and gold porphyrin (ZnAuPN). Upon light excitation, we observe ultrafast energy transfer (~66 ps) and charge transfer (~0.5 ps) through the porphyrin ring, enabling 97% efficiency in separating and transferring photoinduced charges to single Au-atom centers. Leveraging these isolated Au atoms as stimulating electrode arrays, we achieve significant photocurrent injection in single neurons, triggering action potential with millisecond light pulses. Notably, Extracranial near-infrared light irradiation of the motor cortex induces neuronal firing and enhances mouse movement. These results show the potential of nanoscale optoelectrodes for high spatiotemporal modulation of neuronal networks without the need for gene transfection in optogenetics.

Excited Charge Transfer Promoted Electron Transfer in all Perylenediimide Derived, Wide-Band Capturing Conjugates: A Mimicry of the Early Events of Natural Photosynthesis

Fundamental discoveries in electron transfer advance scientific and technological advancements. It is suggested that in plant and bacterial photosynthesis, the primary donor, a chlorophyll or bacteriochlorophyll dimer, forms an initial excited symmetry-breaking charge transfer state (1CT*) upon photoexcitation that subsequently promotes sequential electron transfer (ET) events. This is unlike monomeric photosensitizer-bearing donor-acceptor dyads where ET occurs from the excited donor or acceptor (1D* or 1A*). In the present study, we successfully demonstrated the former photochemical event using an excited charge transfer molecule as a donor. Electron-deficient perylenediimide (PDI) is functionalized with three electron-rich piperidine entities at the bay positions, resulting in a far-red emitting CT molecule (DCT). Further, this molecule is covalently linked to another PDI (APDI) carrying no substituents at the bay positions, resulting in wide-band capturing DCT-APDI conjugates. Selective excitation of the CT band of DCT in these conjugates leads to an initial 1DCT* that undergoes subsequent ET involving APDI, resulting in DCT +-APDI - charge separation product (kCS~109 s-1). Conversely, when APDI was directly excited, ultrafast energy transfer (ENT) from 1APDI* to DCT (kENT~1011 s-1) followed by ET from 1DCT* to PDI is witnessed. While increasing solvent polarity improved kCS rates, for a given solvent, the magnitude of the kCS values was almost the same, irrespective of the excitation wavelengths. The present findings demonstrate ET from an initial CT state to an acceptor is key to understanding the intricate ET events in complex natural and bacterial photosynthetic systems possessing multiple redox- and photoactive entities.

Cyclically conjugated porphyrin trimers linked through benzo[4,5]imidazo[2,1-a]isoindole bridges

Cyclically conjugated porphyrin trimers were prepared via a concise synthetic method. Zn-Trimer-1 displayed strong exciton coupling, suggesting the presence of effective electronic interactions. UV-Vis absorption and fluorescence spectra obtained through titration studies on the donor-acceptor adduct (Zn-Trimer-1-C60Im) indicate the occurrence of excited state photo-events.

Functional molecular models of photosynthesis

This perspective focuses on functional models of photosynthesis to achieve molecular photocatalytic systems that mimic photosystems I and II (PSI and PSII). A long-lived and high-energy electron-transfer state of 9-mesityl-10-methylacridinium ion (Acr+-Mes) has been attained as a simple and useful model of the photosynthetic reaction center. Acr+-Mes has been used as an effective photoredox catalyst for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and regioselective reduction of NAD(P)+ from plastoquinone analogs as a molecular functional model of PSI. A functional molecular model system to mimic the function of PSII has also been developed to oxidize water by plastoquinone analogs to produce O2 and plastoquinol analogs. The PSI molecular models have finally been integrated with the PSII molecular models to achieve production of a solar fuel (hydrogen) and NAD(P)H and its analogs from water by use of solar energy as a molecular artificial photosynthesis.

Novel Benzothiadiazole-based Donor-Acceptor Systems: Synthesis, Ultrafast Charge Transfer and Separation Dynamics

Near-infrared (NIR) absorbing electron donor-acceptor (D-A) chromophores have been at the forefront of current energy research owing to their facile charge transfer (CT) characteristics, which are primitive for photovoltaic applications. Herein, we have designed and developed a new set of benzothiadiazole (BTD)-based tetracyanobutadiene (TCBD)/dicyanoquinodimethane (DCNQ)-embedded multimodular D-A systems (BTD1-BTD6) and investigated their inherent photo-electro-chemical responses for the first time having identical and mixed terminal donors of variable donicity. Apart from poor luminescence, the appearance of broad low-lying optical transitions extendable even in the NIR region (>1000 nm), particularly in the presence of the auxiliary acceptors, are indicative of underlying nonradiative excited state processes leading to robust intramolecular CT and subsequent charge separation (CS) processes in these D-A constructs. While electrochemical studies identify the moieties involved in these photo-events, orbital delocalization and consequent evidence for the low-energy CT transitions have been achieved from theoretical calculations. Finally, the spectral and temporal responses of different photoproducts are obtained from femtosecond transient absorption studies, which, coupled with spectroelectrochemical data, identify broad NIR signals as CS states of the compounds. All the systems are found to be susceptible to ultrafast (~ps) CT and CS before carrier recombination to the ground state, which is, however, significantly facilitated after incorporation of the secondary TCBD/DCNQ acceptors, leading to faster and thus efficient CT processes, particularly in polar solvents. These findings, including facile CT/CS and broad and intense panchromatic absorption over a wide window of the electromagnetic spectrum, are likely to expand the horizons of BTD-based multimodular CT systems to revolutionize the realm of solar energy conversion and associated photonic applications.

Photoinduced Energy and Electron Transfer in a 'Two-Point' Bound Panchromatic, Near-Infrared-Absorbing Bis-styrylBODIPY(Zinc Porphyrin)2 - Fullerene Self-Assembled Supramolecular Conjugate

Structurally well-defined self-assembled supramolecular multi-modular donor-acceptor conjugates play a significant role in furthering our understanding of photoinduced energy and electron transfer events occurring in nature, e. g., in the antenna-reaction centers of photosynthesis and their applications in light energy harvesting. However, building such multi-modular systems capable of mimicking the early events of photosynthesis has been synthetically challenging, causing a major hurdle for its growth. Often, multi-modularity is brought in by combining both covalent and noncovalent approaches. In the present study, we have developed such an approach wherein a π-extended conjugated molecular cleft, two zinc(II)porphyrin bearing bisstyrylBODIPY (dyad, 1), has been synthesized. The binding of 1 via a 'two-point' metal-ligand coordination of a bis-pyridyl fulleropyrrolidine (2), forming a stable self-assembled supramolecular complex (1 : 2), has been established. The self-assembled supramolecular complex has been fully characterized by a suite of physico-chemical methods, including TD-DFT studies. From the established energy diagram, both energy and electron transfer events were envisioned. In dyad 1, selective excitation of zinc(II)porphyrin leads to efficient singlet-singlet excitation transfer to (bisstyrly)BODIPY with an energy transfer rate constant, kEnT of 2.56×1012 s-1. In complex 1 : 2, photoexcitation of zinc(II)porphyrin results in ultrafast photoinduced electron transfer with a charge separation rate constant, kCS of 2.83×1011 s-1, and a charge recombination rate constant, kCR of 2.51×109 s-1. For excitation at 730 nm corresponding to bisstyrylBODIPY, similar results are obtained, where a biexponential decay yielded estimated values of kCS 3.44×1011 s-1 and 2.97×1010 s-1, and a kCR value of 2.10×1010 s-1. The newly built self-assembled supramolecular complex has been shown to successfully mimic the early events of the photosynthetic antenna-reaction center events.

Excited Charge Separation in a π-Interacting Phenothiazine-Zinc Porphyrin-Fullerene Donor-Acceptor Conjugate

We have designed, synthesized, and characterized a donor-acceptor triad, SPS-PPY-C60, that consists of a π-interacting phenothiazine-linked porphyrin as a donor and sensitizer and fullerene as an acceptor to seek charge separation upon photoexcitation. The optical absorption spectrum revealed red-shifted Soret and Q-bands of porphyrin due to charge transfer-type interactions involving the two ethynyl bridges carrying electron-rich and electron-poor substituents. The redox properties suggested that the phenothiazine-porphyrin part of the molecule is easier to oxidize and the fullerene part is easier to reduce. DFT calculations supported the redox properties wherein the electron density of the highest molecular orbital (HOMO) was distributed over the donor phenothiazine-porphyrin entity while the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) was distributed over the fullerene acceptor. TD-DFT studies suggested the involvement of both the S2 and S1 states in the charge transfer process. The steady-state emission spectrum, when excited either at porphyrin Soret or visible band absorption maxima, revealed quenched emission both in nonpolar and polar solvents, suggesting the occurrence of excited state events. Finally, femtosecond transient absorption spectral studies were performed to witness the charge separation by utilizing solvents of different polarities. The transient data was further analyzed by GloTarAn by fitting the data with appropriate models to describe photochemical events. From this, the average lifetime of the charge-separated state calculated was found to be 169 ps in benzonitrile, 319 ps in dichlorobenzene, 1.7 ns in toluene for Soret band excitation, and ∼320 ps for Q-band excitation in benzonitrile.

Near-IR Capturing N-Methylbenzene Sulfonamide-Phenothiazine Incorporating Strong Electron Acceptor Push-Pull Systems: Photochemical Ultrafast Carrier Dynamics

Unraveling the intriguing aspects of the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) phenomenon of multi-modular donor-acceptor-based push-pull systems are of paramount importance considering their promising applications, particularly in solar energy harvesting and light-emitting devices. Herein, a series of symmetrical and unsymmetrical donor-acceptor chromophores 1-6, are designed and synthesized by the Corey-Fuchs reaction via Evano's condition followed by [2+2] cycloaddition retroelectrocyclic ring-opening reaction with strong electron acceptors TCNE and TCNQ in good yields (~60-85 %). The photophysical, electrochemical, and computational studies are investigated to explore the effect of incorporation of strong electron acceptors 1,1,4,4-tetracyanobuta-1,3-diene (TCBD) and dicyanoquinodimethane (DCNQ) with phenothiazine (PTZ) donor. An additional low-lying broad absorption band extended towards the near-infrared (NIR) region suggests charge polarization after the introduction of the electron acceptors in both symmetrical and asymmetrical systems, leading to such strong ICT bands. The electrochemical properties reveal that reduction potentials of 3 and 6 are lower than those of 2 and 5, suggesting DCNQ imparts more on the electronic properties and hence largely contributes to the stabilization of LUMO energy levels than TCBD, in line with theoretical observations. Relative positions of the frontier orbitals on geometry-optimized structures further support accessing donor-acceptor sites responsible for the ICT transitions. Eventually, ultrafast carrier dynamics of the photoinduced species are investigated by femtosecond transient absorption studies to identify their spectral characteristics and target analysis further provides information about different excited states photophysical events including ICT and their associated time profiles. The key findings obtained here related to excited state dynamical processes of these newly synthesized systems are believed to be significant in advancing their prospect of utilization in solar energy conversion and related photonic applications.

Recent advances in supramolecular fullerene chemistry

Fullerene chemistry has come a long way since 1990, when the first bulk production of C60 was reported. In the past decade, progress in supramolecular chemistry has opened some remarkable and previously unexpected opportunities regarding the selective (multiple) functionalization of fullerenes and their (self)assembly into larger structures and frameworks. The purpose of this review article is to provide a comprehensive overview of these recent developments. We describe how macrocycles and cages that bind strongly to C60 can be used to block undesired addition patterns and thus allow the selective preparation of single-isomer addition products. We also discuss how the emergence of highly shape-persistent macrocycles has opened opportunities for the study of photoactive fullerene dyads and triads as well as the preparation of mechanically interlocked compounds. The preparation of two- or three-dimensional fullerene materials is another research area that has seen remarkable progress over the past few years. Due to the rapidly decreasing price of C60 and C70, we believe that these achievements will translate into all fields where fullerenes have traditionally (third-generation solar cells) and more recently been applied (catalysis, spintronics).

Zinc Tetrapyrrole Coordinated to Imidazole Functionalized Tetracyanobutadiene or Cyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-diylidene-expanded-tetracyanobutadiene Conjugates: Dark vs. Light-Induced Electron Transfer

Using the popular metal-ligand axial coordination self-assembly approach, donor-acceptor conjugates have been constructed using zinc tetrapyrroles (porphyrin (ZnP), phthalocyanine (ZnPc), and naphthalocyanine (ZnNc)) as electron donors and imidazole functionalized tetracyanobutadiene (Im-TCBD) and cyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-diylidene-expanded-tetracyanobutadiene (Im-DCNQ) as electron acceptors. The newly formed donor-acceptor conjugates were fully characterized by a suite of physicochemical methods, including absorption and emission, electrochemistry, and computational methods. The measured binding constants for the 1 : 1 complexes were in the order of 104 -105  M-1 in o-dichlorobenzene. Free-energy calculations and the energy level diagrams revealed the high exergonicity for the excited state electron transfer reactions. However, in the case of the ZnNc:Im-DCNQ complex, owing to the facile oxidation of ZnNc and facile reduction of Im-DCNQ, slow electron transfer was witnessed in the dark without the aid of light. Systematic transient pump-probe studies were performed to secure evidence of excited state charge separation and gather their kinetic parameters. The rate of charge separation was as high as 1011  s-1 suggesting efficient processes. These findings show that the present self-assembly approach could be utilized to build donor-acceptor constructs with powerful electron acceptors, TCBD and DCNQ, to witness ground and excited state charge transfer, fundamental events required in energy harvesting, and building optoelectronic devices.

Panchromatic Light-Capturing Bis-styryl BODIPY-Perylenediimide Donor-Acceptor Constructs: Occurrence of Sequential Energy Transfer Followed by Electron Transfer

Two wide-band-capturing donor-acceptor conjugates featuring bis-styrylBODIPY and perylenediimide (PDI) have been newly synthesized, and the occurrence of ultrafast excitation transfer from the 1 PDI* to BODIPY, and a subsequent electron transfer from the 1 BODIPY* to PDI have been demonstrated. Optical absorption studies revealed panchromatic light capture but offered no evidence of ground-state interactions between the donor and acceptor entities. Steady-state fluorescence and excitation spectral recordings provided evidence of singlet-singlet energy transfer in these dyads, and quenched fluorescence of bis-styrylBODIPY emission in the dyads suggested additional photo-events. The facile oxidation of bis-styrylBODIPY and facile reduction of PDI, establishing their relative roles of electron donor and acceptor, were borne out by electrochemical studies. The electrostatic potential surfaces of the S1 and S2 states, derived from time-dependent DFT calculations, supported excited charge transfer in these dyads. Spectro-electrochemical studies on one-electron-oxidized and one-electron-reduced dyads and the monomeric precursor compounds were also performed in a thin-layer optical cell under corresponding applied potentials. From this study, both bis-styrylBODIPY⋅+ and PDI⋅- could be spectrally characterizes and were subsequently used in characterizing the electron-transfer products. Finally, pump-probe spectral studies were performed in dichlorobenzene under selective PDI and bis-styrylBODIPY excitation to secure energy and electron-transfer evidence. The measured rate constants for energy transfer, kENT , were in the range of 1011  s-1 , while the electron transfer rate constants, kET , were in the range of 1010  s-1 , thus highlighting their potential use in solar energy harvesting and optoelectronic applications.

β-Pyrrole Functionalized Push or Pull Porphyrins: Excited Charge Transfer Promoted Singlet Oxygen Generation

Singlet oxygen (1O2) producing photosensitizers are highly sought for developing new photodynamic therapy agents and facilitating 1O2-involved chemical reactions. Often singlet oxygen is produced by the reaction of triplet-excited photosensitizers with dioxygen via an energy transfer mechanism. In the present study, we demonstrate a charge transfer mechanism to produce singlet oxygen involving push or pull functionalized porphyrins. For this, 20 β-pyrrole functionalized porphyrins carrying either an electron-rich push or electron-deficient pull group have been newly synthesized. Photoexcitation of these push-pull porphyrins has been shown to produce high-energy MPδ+-Aδ- or MPδ--Dδ+ charge transfer states. Subsequent charge recombination results in populating the triplet excited states of extended lifetimes in the case of the push group containing porphyrins that eventually react with dioxygen to produce the reactive singlet oxygen of relatively higher quantum yields. The effect of the push and pull groups on the porphyrin periphery in governing initial charge transfer, the population of triplet excited states and their lifetimes, and resulting in improved singlet oxygen quantum yields are systematically probed. The improved performance of 1O2 generation by porphyrins carrying push groups is borne out from this study.

Far-Red Excitation Induced Electron Transfer in Bis Donor-AzaBODIPY Push-Pull Systems; Role of Nitrogenous Donors in Promoting Charge Separation

A far-red absorbing sensitizer, BF2 -chelated azadipyrromethane (azaBODIPY) has been employed as an electron acceptor to synthesize a series of push-pull systems linked with different nitrogenous electron donors, viz., N,N-dimethylaniline (NND), triphenylamine (TPA), and phenothiazine (PTZ) via an acetylene linker. The structural integrity of the newly synthesized push-pull systems was established by spectroscopic, electrochemical, spectroelectrochemical, and DFT computational methods. Cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry studies revealed different redox states and helped in the estimation of the energies of the charge-separated states. Further, spectroelectrochemical studies performed in a thin-layer optical cell revealed diagnostic peaks of azaBODIPY⋅- in the visible and near-IR regions. Free-energy calculations revealed the charge separation from one of the covalently linked donors to the 1 azaBODIPY* to yield Donor⋅+ -azaBODIPY⋅- to be energetically favorable in a polar solvent, benzonitrile, and the frontier orbitals generated on the optimized structures helped in assessing such a conclusion. Consequently, the steady-state emission studies revealed quenching of the azaBODIPY fluorescence in all of the investigated push-pull systems in benzonitrile and to a lesser extent in mildly polar dichlorobenzene, and nonpolar toluene. The femtosecond pump-probe studies revealed the occurrence of excited charge transfer (CT) in nonpolar toluene while a complete charge separation (CS) for all three push-pull systems in polar benzonitrile. The CT/CS products populated the low-lying 3 azaBODIPY* prior to returning to the ground state. Global target (GloTarAn) analysis of the transient data revealed the lifetime of the final charge-separated states (CSS) to be 195 ps for NND-derived, 50 ps for TPA-derived, and 85 ps for PTZ-derived push-pull systems in benzonitrile.

π-Extended Pyrazinepyrene-Fused Zinc Phthalocyanines: Synthesis and Excited-State Charge Separation Involving Coordinated C60

A series of pyrazinepyrene-fused zinc phthalocyanines (ZnPc-Pyr_n) have been newly synthesized by reacting quinoxaline and the corresponding diamino-functionalized phthalocyanines as a new class of π-extended phthalocyanine systems. Bathochromically shifted absorption as a function of the number of pyrazinepyrene entities due to extended π-conjugation and quenched fluorescence due to the presence of fused pyrazinepyrene were witnessed. The electronic structures of these phthalocyanines were probed by systematic computational and electrochemical studies, while the excited-state properties were examined by pump-probe spectroscopies operating at the femto- and nanosecond time scales. Similar to the excited singlet lifetimes, the excited triplet states also revealed diminished lifetimes with an increased number of pyrazinepyrene entities. Further, the coordinatively unsaturated zinc in these molecules was coordinated with phenyl imidazole-functionalized fullerene, ImC₆₀, to form a new series of donor-acceptor conjugates. Upon full characterization of these conjugates, the occurrence of excited-state charge separation was established by transient pump-probe spectroscopy, covering wide temporal and spatial regions. The lifetime of the final charge-separated states was ∼2 ns and decreased with an increase in the number of fused pyrazinepyrene units.

Accelerated Intramolecular Charge Transfer in Tetracyanobutadiene- and Expanded Tetracyanobutadiene-Incorporated Asymmetric Triphenylamine-Quinoxaline Push-Pull Conjugates

The excited-state properties of an asymmetric triphenylamine-quinoxaline push-pull system wherein triphenylamine and quinoxaline take up the roles of an electron donor and acceptor, respectively, are initially investigated. Further, in order to improve the push-pull effect, powerful electron acceptors, viz., 1,1,4,4-tetracyanobutadiene (TCBD) and cyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-diylidene-expanded tetracyanobutadiene (also known as expanded-TCBD or exTCBD), have been introduced into the triphenylamine-quinoxaline molecular framework using a catalyst-free [2 + 2] cycloaddition-retroelectrocyclization reaction. The presence of these electron acceptors caused strong ground-state polarization extending the absorption well into the near-IR region accompanied by strong fluorescence quenching due to intramolecular charge transfer (CT). Systematic studies were performed using a suite of spectral, electrochemical, computational, and pump-probe spectroscopic techniques to unravel the intramolecular CT mechanism and to probe the role of TCBD and exTCBD in promoting excited-state CT and separation events. Faster CT in exTCBD-derived compared to that in TCBD-derived push-pull systems has been witnessed in polar benzonitrile.

Near-IR absorbing 1,1,4,4-tetracyanobutadiene-functionalized phenothiazine sulfones

Triphenylamine (TPA) substituted π-conjugated chromophores TPA1-TPA5 were designed and synthesized via Pd-catalysed Sonogashira cross-coupling followed by [2 + 2] cycloaddition-retroelectrocyclization (CA-RE) reactions. The effects of acceptor 1,1,4,4-tetracyanobutadiene (TCBD) and cyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-diylidene-expanded TCBD (DCNQ) units in the photophysical studies and the HOMO-LUMO energy levels of the phenothiazine sulfones TPA1-TPA5 were evaluated. The absorption spectra of chromophores TPA4 and TPA5 show a significant change due to the incorporation of DCNQ units, resulting in bathochromically shifted broad absorption in the NIR region. The photophysical studies revealed that DCNQ-based chromophores TPA4 and TPA5 have a better D-A interaction than the TCBD functionalized TPA2 and TPA3. Density functional theory calculations and electrochemical studies were performed to examine the molecular geometry and frontier energy levels of the sulfone-based chromophores. Systematic structural modification of the chromophore TPA1 modulated the electrochemical properties and successively tuned the energy gaps for TPA2-TPA5. The theoretically estimated HOMO-LUMO gaps for TPA1-TPA5 exhibit good agreement with the experimental data calculated from the electrochemical studies. The chromophore TPA1 exhibits solvatochromism and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) behavior owing to the emission in the solid state.

Highly Coupled Heterobicycle-Fused Porphyrin Dimers: Excitonic Coupling and Charge Separation with Coordinated Fullerene, C60

Porphyrin dimers have been widely explored and studied owing to their importance in photosynthetic systems. A vast variety of dimers linked by different groups and at different angles have been synthesized and studied; however, the means by which to synthesize rigidly fused porphyrins with direct conjugation of the chromophores remains limited. Such a class of porphyrins may possess interesting properties that unconjugated or stacked dimers may not exhibit. In this study, bisbenzimidazole-fused porphyrin dimers and their mono- and bis-zinc derivatives are synthesized and characterized. As a consequence of excitonic coupling, these dimers exhibit a split Soret band irrespective of the metal ion in the porphyrin cavity. Steady-state fluorescence and excitation spectra followed by femtosecond transient absorption spectral studies of the heterometallated dimer, (free-base and zinc porphyrin) reveals the occurrence of efficient singlet-singlet energy transfer (>95 % efficiency and rate constant >10¹²  s^-1 ) within the dyad. Further, donor-acceptor conjugates were formed by metal-ligand axial coordination of phenyl imidazole functionalized C₆₀ and were characterized by a variety of physicochemical techniques. Excited state charge separation from both singlet and triplet excited states of ZnP in the conjugates has been established. The lifetime of the final charge-separated state was in the 30-40 μs range revealing charge stabilization. Interestingly, no charge separation in the conjugate derived from the heterometallated dimer was observed wherein excitation transfer dominated the process. The present study brings out the importance of the rigid π-spacer connecting porphyrin dimers in governing the energy and electron transfer events when coupled with an electron acceptor.

Excitation Wavelength-Dependent Charge Stabilization in Highly Interacting Phenothiazine Sulfone-Derived Donor-Acceptor Constructs

Prolonging the lifetime of charge-separated states (CSS) is of paramount importance in artificial photosynthetic donor-acceptor (DA) constructs to build the next generation of light-energy-harvesting devices. This becomes especially important when the DA constructs are closely spaced and highly interacting. In the present study, we demonstrate extending the lifetime of the CSS in highly interacting DA constructs by making use of the triplet excited state of the electron donor and with the help of excitation wavelength selectivity. To demonstrate this, π-conjugated phenothiazine sulfone-based push-pull systems, PTS2-PTS6 have been newly designed and synthesized via the Pd-catalyzed Sonogashira cross-coupling followed by [2 + 2] cycloaddition-retroelectrocyclization reactions. Modulation of the spectral and photophysical properties of phenothiazine sulfones (PTZSO₂) and terminal phenothiazines (PTZ) was possible by incorporating powerful electron acceptors, 1,1,4,4-tetracyanobutadiene (TCBD) and cyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-diylidene-expanded TCBD (exTCBD). The quadrupolar PTS2 displayed solvatochromism, aggregation-induced emission, and mechanochromic behaviors. From the energy calculations, excitation wavelength-dependent charge stabilization was envisioned in PTS2-PTS6, and the subsequent pump-probe spectroscopic studies revealed charge stabilization when the systems were excited at the locally excited peak positions, while such effect was minimal when the samples were excited at wavelengths corresponding to the CT transitions. This work reveals the impact of wavelength selectivity to induce charge separation from the triplet excited state in ultimately prolonging the lifetime of CCS in highly interacting push-pull systems.

Organic-Inorganic Porphyrinoid Frameworks for Biomolecule Sensing

Porphyrinoids and their analogous compounds play an important role in biosensing applications on account of their unique and versatile catalytic, coordination, photophysical, and electrochemical properties. Their remarkable arrays of properties can be finely tuned by synthetically modifying the porphyrinoid ring and varying the various structural parameters such as peripheral functionalization, metal coordination, and covalent or physical conjugation with other organic or inorganic scaffolds such as nanoparticles, metal-organic frameworks, and polymers. Porphyrinoids and their organic-inorganic conjugates are not only used as responsive materials but also utilized for the immobilization and embedding of biomolecules for applications in wearable devices, fast sensing devices, and other functional materials. The present review delineates the impact of different porphyrinoid conjugates on their physicochemical properties and their specificity as biosensors in a range of applications. The newest porphyrinoid types and their synthesis, modification, and functionalization are presented along with their advantages and performance improvements.

Thousand-Fold Enhancement of Charge-Separated State Lifetimes Caused by an Adamantane Bridge in Dimethylaniline-Anthracene and Dimethylaniline-Pyrene Dyads

A long-standing challenge in photoinduced electron transfer research is the design of compact donor-acceptor dyads that can generate long-lived charge-separated (CS) states for use as sensitizers in solar energy harvesting. Reports of dyads exhibiting CS state lifetimes in the microsecond time domain are very rare. Herein, we report two compact donor-bridge-acceptor dyads exhibiting lifetimes in the microsecond domain. We employed an adamantane moiety as a bridge, and the lifetimes obtained are nearly 1000-fold larger when compared to those of the same donor-acceptor dyads bridged through C₃-alkyl chains. In addition to long-lived CS state decays, slow formation of acceptor triplets was also observed via nanosecond flash photolysis. The long lifetime of the CS state is attributed to the extremely small value of the electronic coupling matrix element for the charge recombination compared to charge separation.

Lewis Acidic Zinc(II) Complexes of Tetradentate Ligands as Building Blocks for Responsive Assembled Supramolecular Structures

This review presents representative examples illustrating how the Lewis acidic character of the Zn(II) metal center in Zn(salen)-type complexes, as well as in complexes of other tetradentate ligands, and the nature of the medium govern their supramolecular aggregation, leading to the formation of a variety of supramolecular structures, either in solution or in the solid state. Stabilization of these Lewis acidic complexes is almost always reached through an axial coordination of a Lewis base, leading to a penta-coordinated square-pyramidal geometry around the metal center. The coverage is not exhaustive, mainly focused on their crystallographic structures, but also on their aggregation and sensing properties in solution, and on their self-assembled and responsive nanostructures, summarizing their salient aspects. The axial ligands can easily be displaced, either in solution or in the solid state, with suitable Lewis bases, thus being responsive supramolecular structures useful for sensing. This contribution represents the first attempt to relate some common features of the chemistry of different families of Zn(II) complexes of tetradentate ligands to their intrinsic Lewis acidic character.

Donor-Acceptor Complexes of (5,10,15,20-Tetra(4-methylphenyl)porphyrinato)cobalt(II) with Fullerenes C60: Self-Assembly, Spectral, Electrochemical and Photophysical Properties

The noncovalent interactions of (5,10,15,20-tetra(4-methylphenyl)porphinato)cobalt(II) (CoTTP) with C60 and 1-N-methyl-2-(pyridin-4-yl)-3,4-fullero[60]pyrrolidine (PyC60) were studied in toluene using absorption and fluorescence titration methods. The self-assembly in the 2:1 complexes (the triads) (C60)2CoTTP and (PyC60)2CoTTP was established. The bonding constants for (C60)2CoTTP and (PyC60)2CoTTP are defined to be (3.47 ± 0.69) × 109 and (1.47 ± 0.28) × 1010 M-2, respectively. 1H NMR, IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and cyclic voltammetry data have provided very good support in favor of efficient complex formation in the ground state between fullerenes and CoTTP. PyC60/C60 fluorescence quenching in the PyC60/C60-CoTTP systems was studied and the fluorescence lifetime with various CoTTP additions was determined. The singlet oxygen quantum yield was determined for PyC60 and the intensity decrease in the 1O2 phosphorescence for C60 and PyC60 with the CoTTP addition leading to the low efficiency of intercombination conversion for the formation of the 3C60* triplet excited state was found. Using femtosecond transient absorption measurements in toluene, the photoinduced electron transfer from the CoTTP in the excited singlet state to fullerene moiety was established. Quantum chemical calculations were used for the determination of molecular structure, stability and the HOMO/LUMO energy levels of the triads as well as to predict the localization of frontier orbitals in the triads.

Graphene performs the role of an electron donor in covalently interfaced porphyrin-boron azadipyrromethene dyads and manages photoinduced charge-transfer processes

Herein, we introduced the versatility of free-base and zinc-metallated porphyrin (H₂P and ZnP, respectively) to combine with boron azadipyrromethene (azaBDP) NIR absorbing species, for extending their photophysical interest and covalently anchored onto graphene. In particular, the covalent functionalization of graphene with those H₂P-azaBDP and ZnP-azaBDP dyads ensured an invariable structure, in which both chromophores and graphene are in intimate contact, free of aggregations and impurities. Both H₂P-azaBDP and ZnP-azaBDP dyads were found to perform energy transfer processes between the chromophores, however, only ZnP-azaBDP confirmed additional charge separation between the chromophores yielding the ZnP˙⁺-azaBDP˙^- charge-separated state. On the other hand, graphene in (H₂P-azaBDP)-graphene and (ZnP-azaBDP)-graphene hybrids was found to act as an electron donor, yielding (H₂P-azaBDP˙^-)-graphene˙⁺ and (ZnP-azaBDP˙^-)-graphene˙⁺ charge-separated states at an ultrafast timescale. The creation of such donor-acceptor systems, featuring graphene as an electron donor and Vis-to-NIR electron-acceptor dyads, expands their utility when considered in optoelectronic applications.

Aromatic heterobicycle-fused porphyrins: impact on aromaticity and excited state electron transfer leading to long-lived charge separation

A new synthetic method to fuse benzo[4,5]imidazo[2,1-a]isoindole to the porphyrin periphery at the β,β-positions has been developed, and its impact on the aromaticity and electronic structures is investigated. Reactivity investigation of the fused benzoimidazo-isoindole component reveals fluorescence quenching of a zinc porphyrin (AMIm-2) upon treatment with a Brønsted acid. The reaction of the zinc porphyrin (AMIm-2) with methyl iodide initiated a new organic transformation, resulting in the ring-opening of isoindole with the formation of an aldehyde and dimethylation of the benzoimidazo component. The fused benzoimidazo-isoindole component acted as a good ligand to bind platinum(ii), forming novel homobimetallic and heterobimetallic porphyrin complexes. The fusion of benzoimidazo-isoindole on the porphyrin ring resulted in bathochromically shifted absorptions and emissions, reflecting the extended conjugation of the porphyrin π-system. Time-resolved emission and transient absorption spectroscopy revealed stable excited state species of the benzoimidazo-isoindole fused porphyrins. Zinc porphyrin AMIm-2 promoted excited state electron transfer upon coordinating with an electron acceptor, C60, generating a long-lived charge-separated state, in the order of 37.4 μs. The formation of the exceptionally long-lived charge-separated state is attributed to the involvement of both singlet and triplet excited states of AMIm-2, which is rarely reported in porphyrins.

Effects of linkage between donors on photoinduced charge transfer in one-photon and two-photon absorption of Donor-π-Donor-π-Acceptor conjugates

Photoinduced charge transfer (CT) mechanisms of two Donor-π-Donor-π-Acceptor conjugates composed of ferrocene (Fc), zinc-porphyrin (ZnP), and fullerene (C₆₀) linked by phenylene-acetylene/acetylene during the one- (OPA) and the two-photon absorption (TPA) processes are analyzed theoretically based on the density functional theory calculations and visualization methods to study the effects of linkage between the two donors on the excitation characteristics. The change of bridge affects the efficiency of superexchange CT from Fc to ZnP in the OPA process. The one-photon excitations are dominated by local transitions of ZnP and Fc, and there is almost no efficient CT from the donors to the acceptor for both the two researched structures. In contrast, the advantage of superexchange CT from ZnP to C₆₀ becomes much larger than the other transition forms during the TPA process when the linkage between ZnP and Fc is changed from acetylene to phenylene-acetylene. This linkage effect in TPA would have great significance in designing novel optoelectronic devices.

Donor-acceptor interactions of gold(III) porphyrins with cobalt(II) phthalocyanine: chemical structure of products, their spectral characterization and DFT study

In the context of the development of coordination energy-harvesting systems, the axial bonding of cobalt(II) octakis(3,5-di-tert-butylphenoxy)phthalocyanine (1) with gold(III) 2,3,7,8,12,18-hexamethyl,13,17-diethyl,5-(pyridin-4-yl)- and (2,3,7,8,12,18-hexamethyl,13,17-diethyl,5-(pyridin-3-yl)porphin (2 and 3), the structure, the spectral/electrochemical properties of the resulting donor-acceptor complexes and photoinduced electron transfer in them are studied. The process of the dyad formation passing as self-assembly in the donor-acceptor phthalocyanine-porphyrin systems was explored using UV-Visible, IR, and ¹H NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The geometric and electronic structures of the dyads were identified using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT calculations. The electron transfer in the coordination complexes studied was confirmed by recording the radical ion pairs namely 1˙⁺:2˙^-/1˙⁺:3˙^- and measuring the kinetics of the photoinduction and decay of these states by a femtosecond laser photolysis technique. The effect of the gold(III) porphyrin macrocycle nature in the lifetime of radical ion pairs was shown. The redox potential values for the coordination dyads and the photoelectrochemical parameters defining their perspective in design and understanding of PET systems were observed using the cyclic voltammetry/amperometry methods and the short-circuited electrochemical cell Ti|a dyad film|0.5 M Na₂SO₄|Pt, respectively.

Singlet Oxygen Generation in Peripherally Modified Platinum and Palladium Porphyrins: Effect of Triplet Excited State Lifetimes and meso-Substituents on 1 O2 Quantum Yields

A series of meso-substituted with aromatic (=tolyl, pyrenyl, fluorenyl, naphthyl, and triphenylamine) substituents, platinum (Pt), and palladium (Pd) porphyrins have been synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic and single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies to probe structure-reactivity aspects on the electrochemical redox potentials, and phosphorescence quantum yields and lifetimes. In the X-ray structures, the aromatic meso-substituents were rotated to some extent from the planarity of the porphyrin ring to minimize steric hindrance. Both Pt and Pd porphyrins revealed higher electrochemical redox gaps as compared to their free-base porphyrin analogs as a result of the harder oxidation and reduction processes. The ability of both Pt and Pd porphyrins to generate singlet oxygen was probed by monitoring the photoluminescence of 1 O2 at 1270 nm. Higher quantum yields for both triplet sensitizers compared to their free-base analogs were witnessed. Singlet oxygen quantum yields close to unity were possible to achieve in the case of Pt and Pd porphyrins bearing triphenylamine substituents at the meso-position. The present study brings out the importance of different meso-substituents on the triplet porphyrin sensitizers in governing singlet oxygen quantum yields; a key property of photosensitizers needed for photodynamic therapy, chemical synthesis, and other pertinent applications.

Photo-induced intramolecular electron transfer in phenoxazine-phthalocyanine donor-acceptor systems

Donor-Acceptor (D-A) systems based on phenoxazine – phthalocyanine (PXZ-Pc) and phenoxazine – zinc phthalocyanine (PXZ-ZnPc) have been designed and synthesized. Both D-A systems are characterized using various spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques including in-situ methods. Optical absorption studies suggest that both Soret and Q bands of these D-A systems are hypsochromically and bathochromically shifted, when compared to its individual constituents. The study supported by theoretical calculations shows clearly that there exists a negligible electronic communication in the ground state between donor phenoxazine and acceptor phthalocyanine. However, attractively, both D-A systems exhibit noteworthy fluorescence emission quenching (90–99%) of the phthalocyanine emission compared to its reference compounds. The fluorescence emission quenching featured at the excited-state intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer from ground state of phenoxazine to the excited state of phthalocyaine/zinc phthalocyanine. The rates of electron-transfer ([Formula: see text] of these D-A systems are found in the range of 5.7 × 108 to 2.8 × 109 s[Formula: see text] and are according to solvent polarity.

The donor-acceptor dyad based on high substituted fullero[70]pyrrolidine-coordinated manganese (III) phthalocyanine for photoinduced electron transfer

Donor-acceptor dyads based on manganese porphyrins/phthalocyanines and fullerene derivatives with N-basicity centers have proved as promising photoinduced electron-transfer systems for photovoltaic devices, biologically active compounds, and molecular magnetic materials. The macroheterocyclic chromophore characterized by rich UV-visible-near IR absorption is the basis for the applications above. The problem of the synthesis and the characterization of new effective dyads was solved in this work on the example of the self-organizing system consisting of (octakis-3,5-di-tert-butylphenoxy)phthalocyaninato)manganese(III) acetate, (AcO)MnPc(3,5-di-^tBuPhO)₈, 2',5-di(pyridin-2'-yl)-3,4-fullero[70]pyrrolidine, Py₂C₇₀, and toluene. The phthalocyanine-fullerene dyads in the molecular and cationic form (respectively (AcO)(Py₂C₇₀)MnPc(3,5-di-^tBuPhO)₈ and [(Py₂C₇₀)MnPc(3,5-di-^tBuPhO)₈]⁺(AcO)^-) were observed and described using the chemical kinetics/thermodynamics, UV-vis, IR, ¹H NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry methods. The 1: 1 stoichiometry of both dyads was confirmed; the equilibrium and rate constant value, K= (4.86 ± 0.56) × 10⁴ L mol^-1 and k = (4.455 ± 3.37) × 10^-5 s^-1 was observed for the formation of molecular and cationic dyad, respectively. The study of (AcO)MnPc(3,5-di-^tBuPhO)₈ and [(Py₂C₇₀)MnPc(3,5-di-^tBuPhO)₈]⁺AcO^- femtosecond transient absorption spectra points to the photoinduced electron transfer in the dyad, for which the lifetimes and the rate constants of charge separation (τ_CS, k_CS) and charge recombination (τ_CR, k_CR) were defined. The analysis of the relationship of the dyad physicochemical parameters with the molecular structure is represented using previously published data.

Emissive oxidase-like nanozyme based on an organic molecular cage

In this study, we introduced four "claw-like" units of dipicolylamine (DPA) to a tetraphenylethylene (TPE)-based organic molecular cage (DPA-TPE-Cage). Coordinated with Zn²⁺ ions, the obtained ZnDPA-TPE-Cage exhibited aggregation induced emission (AIE) effects and oxidase-like properties, which endowed it with the ability to selectively image and kill Gram-positive bacteria S. aureus efficiently.

Charge-Transfer in Panchromatic Porphyrin-Tetracyanobuta-1,3-Diene-Donor Conjugates: Switching the Role of Porphyrin in the Charge Separation Process

Using a combination of cycloaddition-retroelectrocyclization reaction, free-base and zinc porphyrins (H₂ P and ZnP) are decorated at their β-pyrrole positions with strong charge transfer complexes, viz., tetracyanobuta-1,3-diene (TCBD)-phenothiazine (3 and 4) or TCBD-aniline (7 and 8), novel class of push-pull systems. The physico-chemical properties of these compounds (MP-Donor and MP-TCBD-Donor) have been investigated using a range of electrochemical, spectroelectrochemical, DFT as well as steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic techniques. Ground-state charge transfer interactions between the porphyrin and the electron-withdrawing TCBD directly attached to the porphyrin π-system extended the absorption features well into the near-infrared region. To visualize the photo-events, energy level diagrams with the help of free-energy calculations have been established. Switching the role of porphyrin from the initial electron acceptor to electron donor was possible to envision. Occurrence of photoinduced charge separation has been established by complementary transient absorption spectral studies followed by global and target data analyses. Better charge stabilization in H₂ P derived over ZnP derived conjugates, and in phenothiazine derived over aniline derived conjugates has been possible to establish. These findings highlight the importance of the nature of porphyrins and second electron donor in governing the ground and excited state charge transfer events in closely positioned donor-acceptor conjugates.

Self-Assembly-Directed Organization of a Fullerene-Bisporphyrin into Supramolecular Giant Donut Structures for Excited-State Charge Stabilization

Functional materials composed of spontaneously self-assembled electron donor and acceptor entities capable of generating long-lived charge-separated states upon photoillumination are in great demand as they are key in building the next generation of light energy harvesting devices. However, creating such well-defined architectures is challenging due to the intricate molecular design, multistep synthesis, and issues associated in demonstrating long-lived electron transfer. In this study, we have accomplished these tasks and report the synthesis of a new fullerene-bis-Zn-porphyrin e-bisadduct by tether-directed functionalization of C60 via a multistep synthetic protocol. Supramolecular oligomers were subsequently formed involving the two porphyrin-bearing arms embracing a fullerene cage of the vicinal molecule as confirmed by MALDI-TOF spectrometry and variable temperature NMR. In addition, the initially formed worm-like oligomers are shown to evolve to generate donut-like aggregates by AFM monitoring that was also supported by theoretical calculations. The final supramolecular donuts revealed an inner cavity size estimated as 23 nm, close to that observed in photosynthetic antenna systems. Upon systematic spectral, computational, and electrochemical studies, an energy level diagram was established to visualize the thermodynamic feasibility of electron transfer in these donor-acceptor constructs. Subsequently, transient pump-probe spectral studies covering the wide femtosecond-to-millisecond time scale were performed to confirm the formation of long-lived charge-separated states. The lifetime of the final charge-separated state was about 40 μs, thus highlighting the significance of the current approach of building giant self-organized donor-acceptor assemblies for light energy harvesting applications.

N Basicity of Substituted Fullero[60]/[70]pyrrolidines According to DFT/TD-DFT Calculations and Chemical Thermodynamics

The basicity thermodynamic parameters of pyridyl/imidazole-substituted fullero[60]/[70]pyrrolidines with respect to N heteroatoms in dichloromethane, which are necessary both to deepen insight into aromaticity "neque levia" and to create supramolecular chemical structures for application, are obtained and discussed in this work. Because of the presence of a chromophore in the molecules, the acid-base reactions of three C₆₀ derivatives functionalized in different ways and one C₇₀ derivative are studied using spectrophotometric titration with trifluoroacetic acid. The dependence of the pK values determined using the data on Hammett's acidity functions, H₀, for a binary nonaqueous solvent on the molecule's chemical structure is shown. Density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level were used for the optimization of the fullerene derivative structures and modeling of their UV-vis spectra. The pK_BH⁺ values of substituted fullero[60]/[70]pyrrolidines are predicted by quantum-chemical calculations.

Photoinduced Electron Transfer in a Self-Assembled Bis(β-cyclodextrin)-Linked Pyrene/Bis(adamantane)-Linked Methyl Viologen Donor-Acceptor System in Aqueous Solution

Pyrene linked to two β-CD (CD = cyclodextrin; PY = pyrene) molecules (CD-PY-CD) and methylviologen (MV²⁺) linked to two adamantane (AD) groups (AD-MV²⁺-AD) self-assembled in water to give toroidal nanostructures. Photoprocesses taking place in the femtosecond and nanosecond time ranges within the assembly are reported. Fluorescence of the pyrene chromophore was quenched in the toroid, suggesting very efficient electron transfer. Fast quenching of the pyrene fluorescence with a time constant of 6.85 ns was attributed to photoinduced electron transfer from pyrene to methyl viologen within the toroid assembly. Electron transfer leads to the formation of radical ion products, PY^•+ and MV^•+, which were identified in the nanosecond transient absorption spectra. Because of the close packing of chromophores, the radical ions undergo fast reactions with chromophores or similar ions in adjacent stacks to give dimeric products. Since the dimeric species are not very stable, the reactions are reversed at longer time scales to generate the radical ions, which then undergo back electron transfer and regenerate the starting materials.

Light-induced energy transfer followed by electron transfer in axially co-ordinated benzothiazole tethered zinc porphyrin-fullero[C60/C70]pyrrolidine triads

Benzothiazole (BTZ)-zinc porphyrin (ZnP) dyads, Dyad-1 and Dyad-2 connected together with two different spacers, ester and ethoxy esters, were synthesized and light induced energy and electron transfer events were investigated. Within these dyads, due to the spectral overlap of the BTZ emission with the ZnP absorption, a selective photoexcitation of BTZ at 325 nm resulted in the photo-induced energy transfer (PEnT) from 1BTZ* to ZnP displaying the quenching of the BTZ emission followed by the concurrent appearance of the ZnP emission at 600 and 650 nm suggesting the formation of the 1ZnP* [Formula: see text]. 1BTZ*-ZnP [Formula: see text] BTZ-1ZnP*. When the dyads are titrated with imidazole appended fullero[C[Formula: see text]/C[Formula: see text]]pyrrolidines, four supramolecular triads, involving the axial co-ordination of the imidazole to the zinc center of the ZnP, were formed and the assembly formation was systematically monitored by the optical absorption technique. Cyclic voltammetry and the density functional theory calculations have revealed that, in these triads, the zinc porphyrin acts as an electron donor and fullerene moiety as the electron acceptor. Steady state fluorescence studies revealed that, upon selective excitation of the ZnP moiety at 550 nm, the emission of ZnP at 600 and 650 nm was quenched revealing the occurrence of photo-induced electron transfer (PET) from 1ZnP* to fullerene moiety leading to the formation of charge separated state [Formula: see text]. BTZ-1ZnP* : (ImC[Formula: see text] BTZ-ZnP[Formula: see text]:(ImC[Formula: see text]. More importantly, when the supramolecular triads were excited at 325 nm, the wavelength at which the BTZ absorbs predominantly, the emission of the BTZ moiety which was quenched due to PEnT from 1BTZ* to ZnP followed by the PET from 1ZnP* to fullerene indicates the probability of occurrence of 1BTZ*-ZnP:(ImC[Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] BTZ-1ZnP*[Formula: see text]: (ImC[Formula: see text] BTZ-ZnP[Formula: see text]:(ImC[Formula: see text].