Exploring Forster electronic energy transfer in a decoupled anthracenyl-based borondipyrromethene (bodipy) dyad

An anthracenyl-Bodipy dyad containing a triazole bridge, that acts to decouple the two units in the ground state, has been synthesised and structurally characterised. Efficient electronic energy transfer occurs from the anthracenyl-based unit to the Bodipy system in toluene in around 12 ps, and becomes faster in solvents of lower refractive index. The rate of electronic energy transfer is discussed in terms of Forster theory.