Artificial photosynthetic reaction centers with carotenoid antennas

Tuning the spectroscopic properties of aryl carotenoids by slight changes in structure

Two carotenoids with aryl rings were studied by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy and theoretical computational methods, and the results were compared with those obtained from their nonaryl counterpart, β-carotene. Although isorenieratene has more conjugated C═C bonds than β-carotene, its effective conjugation length, Neff, is shorter than of β-carotene. This is evidenced by a longer S1 lifetime and higher S1 energy of isorenieratene compared to the values for β-carotene. On the other hand, although isorenieratene and renierapurpurin have the same π-electron conjugated chain structure, Neff is different for these two carotenoids. The S1 lifetime of renierapurpurin is shorter than that of isorenieratene, indicating a longer Neff for renierapurpurin. This conclusion is also consistent with a lower S1 energy of renierapurpurin compared to those of the other carotenoids. Density functional theory (DFT) was used to calculate equilibrium geometries of ground and excited states of all studied carotenoids. The terminal ring torsion in the ground state of isorenieratene (41°) is very close to that of β-carotene (45°), but equilibration of the bond lengths within the aryl rings indicates that the each aryl ring forms its own conjugated system. This results in partial detachment of the aryl rings from the overall conjugation making Neff of isorenieratene shorter than that of β-carotene. The different position of the methyl group at the aryl ring of renierapurpurin diminishes the aryl ring torsion to ∼20°. This planarization results in a longer Neff than that of isorenieratene, rationalizing the observed differences in spectroscopic properties.

Multiantenna artificial photosynthetic reaction center complex

In order to ensure efficient utilization of the solar spectrum, photosynthetic organisms use a variety of antenna chromophores to absorb light and transfer excitation to a reaction center, where photoinduced charge separation occurs. Reported here is a synthetic molecular heptad that features two bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene and two borondipyrromethene antennas linked to a hexaphenylbenzene core that also bears two zinc porphyrins. A fullerene electron acceptor self-assembles to both porhyrins via dative bonds. Excitation energy is transferred very efficiently from all four antennas to the porphyrins. Singlet-singlet energy transfer occurs both directly and by a stepwise funnel-like pathway wherein excitation moves down a thermodynamic gradient. The porphyrin excited states donate an electron to the fullerene with a time constant of 3 ps to generate a charge-separated state with a lifetime of 230 ps. The overall quantum yield is close to unity. In the absence of the fullerene, the porphyrin excited singlet state donates an electron to a borondipyrromethene on a slower time scale. This molecule demonstrates that by incorporating antennas, it is possible for a molecular system to harvest efficiently light throughout the visible from ultraviolet wavelengths out to approximately 650 nm.

Relationships between Nonadiabatic Bridged Intramolecular, Electrochemical, and Electrical Electron-Transfer Processes

Fermi's golden rule is used to develop relationships between rate constants for electron transfer in donor-bridge-acceptor and electrode-bridge-acceptor systems and resistances across metal-bridge-electrode and metal-bridge-tip junctions. Experimental data on electron-transfer rates through alkanethiolate, oligophenylene, and DNA bridges are used to calculate the electronic coupling matrix element per state through these moieties. The formulation is then used to predict the resistance of these bridges between two gold contacts. This approach provides a straightforward method for experimentalists to assess the self-consistency between intramolecular electron-transfer rate constants and low-bias resistances measured for molecularly bridged junctions between two metallic contacts. Reported resistances for alkanethiolate bridges vary by a factor of 20, with predicted resistances falling within this range. However, comparisons between carboxylato and directly linked alkanethiolate bridges suggest differences between the coupling at the interface to either the redox center or the gold electrode in such systems. Calculated resistances for oligophenylene bridges are close to those measured experimentally in a similar oligophenylene system.

Photochemical and photophysical properties of carotenoid immobilized on a surfactant micellar medium including chlorophyll as an artificial photosynthesis system

To develop an artificial photosynthesis model, the anionic water-soluble carotenoid dye crocetin was electrostatically immobilized onto the surface of cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) micellar medium including Mg chlorophyll-a and b (MgChl-a and b) (Cro/MgChl), and its photophysical properties were studied using UV-vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. The fluorescence of MgChl-a and b was observed, with the excitation wavelength attributed to the absorption band of crocetin, indicating that photo-induced energy transfer from the photoexcited state of crocetin to MgChl-a and b occurs. The photostability of MgChl-a and b in Cro/MgChl was investigated under continuous irradiation. After 60 min irradiation, the absorbance decreases at 660 nm Cro/MgChl and MgChl-a/b, without crocetin, were 3.0 and 17%, respectively. These results indicate that the photo-bleaching rate of MgChl-a/b in Cro/MgChl on irradiation is suppressed by the crocetin molecule on the surface of micelles.