A New Tetrathiafulvalene-Quinone-Tetrathiafulvalene Triad: Modulation of the Intramolecular Charge Transfer by the Electron-Transfer Process Promoted by Metal Ions

Electron transfer can occur from the TTF units to the substituted quinone unit in a new TTF-quinone-TTF triad 1 containing the N,N-dialkylaniline-substituted quinone unit flanked by two TTF units, in the presence of metal ions (Pb2+, Zn2+, and Sc3+). Simultaneously, the corresponding charge transfer within the substituted quinone unit becomes weak in the presence of metal ions. Moreover, the metal ion-promoted electron transfer and the intramolecular charge transfer can be tuned by alternating UV and visible light irradiation in the presence of spiropyran.