Intermolecular and supramolecular photoinduced electron transfer processes of fullerene-porphyrin/phthalocyanine systems

The attainment of a better understanding of the dependence of photoinduced electron transfer reaction rates on the molecular structures of the donor and acceptor entities results in improving the capture and storage of solar energy. Here, the intermolecular and supramolecular electron transfer processes from electron donors (porphyrins (P), chlorophylls (Chl), phthalocyanines (Pc) and naphthalocyarrines (Nc)) and their metal derivatives to electron acceptors (fullerenes such as C-60 and C-70) studied by nanosecond and picosecond laser flash photolysis techniques in polar and nonpolar solvents are reviewed. For intermolecular systems in polar solvents, photoinduced electron transfer takes place via the excited triplet states Of C-60/C-70 or via the excited triplet states of P/Pc/Nc, yielding solvated radical ions in polar solvents; thus, the back electron transfer rates are generally slow. In the case of the supramolecular dyads and triads formed by axial coordination, hydrogen bonding, crown ether complexation, or rotaxane formation, the photoinduced charge separation takes place mainly from the excited singlet state of the donor; however, the back electron transfer rates are generally quite fast. The relations between structures and photochemical reactivities of these novel supramolecular systems are discussed in relation to the efficiency of charge separation and charge recombination. (C) 2004 Japanese Photochemistry Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.