Exceptionally strong electronic communication through hydrogen bonds in porphyrin-C60 pairs

Hooking up: Self-assembly of a porphyrin amidine and fulleropyrrolidine carboxylic acid based on a two-point amidinium–carboxylate motif leads to supramolecular dyads of high stability (Ka≈107 M−1 in toluene/acetonitrile (9:1)). The synergy of the hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions has been shown to be particularly beneficial in terms of electronic coupling between both electroactive components of the dyads.