Electronic communication through p-conjugated wires in covalently linked porphyrin/C60 ensembles

Novel photo- and electroactive triads, in which pi-conjugated p-phenylenevinylene oligomers (oPPVs) of different length are connected to a photoexcited-state electron donor (i.e., zinc tetraphenylporphyrin) and an electron acceptor (i.e., C(60)), were designed, synthesized, and tested as electron-transfer model systems. A detailed physicochemical investigation, concentrating mainly on long-range charge separation and charge recombination and kinetics, revealed small attenuation factors beta of 0.03+/-0.005 A(-1). Energy matching between the HOMO levels of C(60) and oPPVs emerged as a key parameter for supporting molecular-wire-like behavior: It favors rapid and efficient electron or hole injection into the oPPV wires. Large electronic coupling values were determined as a result of paraconjugation in the oPPV moieties.