Coherent nuclear dynamics in ultrafast electron transfer in a porphyrin-ferrocene dyad

High-Spin State of a Ferrocene Electron Donor Revealed by Optical and X-ray Transient Absorption Spectroscopy

Ferrocene is one of the most common electron donors, and mapping its ligand-field excited states is critical to designing donor-acceptor (D-A) molecules with long-lived charge transfer states. Although 3(d-d) states are commonly invoked in the photophysics of ferrocene complexes, mention of the high-spin 5(d-d) state is scarce. Here, we provide clear evidence of 5(d-d) formation in a bimetallic D-A molecule, ferrocenyl cobaltocenium hexafluorophosphate ([FcCc]PF6). Femtosecond optical transient absorption (OTA) spectroscopy reveals two distinct electronic excited states with 30 and 500 ps lifetimes. Using a combination of ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared, and short-wave infrared probe pulses, we capture the spectral features of these states over an ultrabroadband range spanning 320 to 2200 nm. Time-dependent density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the lowest triplet and quintet states, both primarily Fe(II) (d-d) in character, qualitatively agree with the experimental OTA spectra, allowing us to assign the 30 ps state as the 3(d-d) state and the 500 ps state as the high-spin 5(d-d) state. To confirm the ferrocene-centered high-spin character of the 500 ps state, we performed X-ray transient absorption (XTA) spectroscopy at the Fe and Co K edges. The Fe K-edge XTA spectrum at 150 ps shows a red shift of the absorption edge that is consistent with an Fe(II) high-spin state, as supported by ab initio calculations. The transient signal detected at the Co K-edge is 50× weaker, confirming the ferrocene-centered character of the excited state. Fitting of the transient extended X-ray absorption fine structure region yields an Fe-C bond length increase of 0.25 ± 0.1 Å in the excited state, as expected for the high-spin state based on DFT. Altogether, these results demonstrate that the high-spin state of ferrocene should be considered when designing donor-acceptor assemblies for photocatalysis and photovoltaics.

Lifetime Broadening and Impulsive Generation of Vibrational Coherence Triggered by Ultrafast Electron Transfer

The absorption band shape of chromophores in liquid solution at room temperature is usually dominated by pure electronic dephasing dynamics, which occurs on the sub-100 fs time scale. Herein, we report on a series of dyads consisting of a naphthalenediimide (NDI) electron acceptor with one or two phenyl-based donors for which photoinduced intramolecular electron transfer is fast enough to be competitive with pure electronic dephasing. As a consequence, the absorption band of the π-π* transition of these dyads is broader than that of the NDI alone to an extent that scales with the electron transfer rate. Additionally, this reaction is so fast that it leads to the impulsive excitation of a low-frequency vibrational mode of the charge-separated product. Quantum-chemical calculations suggest that this vibration involves the C-N donor-acceptor bond, which shortens considerably upon electron transfer.

Carbon nanoonion-ferrocene conjugates as acceptors in organic photovoltaic devices

Many macromolecular systems, including carbon nanostructures (CNs), have been synthesized and investigated as acceptors in photovoltaic devices. Some CNs have shown interesting electrochemical, photophysical and electrocatalytic properties and have been used in energy and sustainability applications. This study focuses on the covalent functionalization of carbon nanoonion (CNO) surfaces with ferrocene moieties to obtain donor-acceptor systems involving CNOs as acceptors. The systems were synthesized and characterized by infrared, Raman, UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopies, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption and electrochemical measurements. The HOMO-LUMO levels were calculated to evaluate the possibility of using these systems in photoactive devices. In this study, for the first time, the CNO-based derivatives were applied as acceptors in the active layer of photovoltaic devices. This study is the first to use large CNO-based derivatives as acceptors in organic photovoltaic devices, and a power conversion efficiency as high as 1.89% was achieved.

Diaqua-β-octaferrocenyltetraphenylporphyrin: a multiredox-active and air-stable 16π non-aromatic species

Herein the synthesis and properties of the first β-octaferrocenyltetraphenylporphyrin, {TPPFc₈(H₂O)₂}, in its extraordinary stable and non-aromatic 16π form are reported, showing seven separate reversible redox events.

Ultrafast electron transfer dynamics of a Zn(II)porphyrin-viologen complex revisited: S2 vs S1 reactions and survival of excess excitation energy

The photoinduced electron transfer reactions in a self-assembled 1:1 complex of zinc(II)tetrasulphonatophenylporphyrin (ZnTPPS(4-)) and methylviologen (MV(2+)) in aqueous solution were investigated with transient absorption spectroscopy. ZnTPPS(4-) was excited either in the Soret or one of the two Q-bands, corresponding to excitation into the S(2) and S(1) states, respectively. The resulting electron transfer to MV(2+) occurred, surprisingly, with the same time constant of τ(FET) = 180 fs from both electronic states. The subsequent back electron transfer was rapid, and the kinetics was independent of the initially excited state (τ(BET) = 700 fs). However, ground state reactants in a set of vibrationally excited states were observed. The amount of vibrationally excited ground states detected increased with increasing energy of the initial excited state, showing that excess excitation energy survived a two-step electron transfer reaction in solution. Differences in the ZnTPSS(•3-)/MV(•+) spectra suggest that the forward electron transfer from the S(2) state at least partially produces an electronically excited charge transfer state, which effectively suppresses the influence of the inverted regime. Other possible reasons for the similar electron transfer rates for the different excited states are also discussed.

Ultrafast Photoinduced Electron Transfer in Directly Linked Porphyrin−Ferrocene Dyads

The ultrafast electron transfer occurring upon Soret excitation of three new porphyrin-ferrocene (XP-Fc) dyads has been studied by femtosecond up-conversion and pump-probe techniques. In the XP-Fc dyads (XP-Fcs) designed in this study, the ferrocene moiety is covalently bonded to the meso positions of 3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl zinc porphyrin (BPZnP-Fc), pentafluorophenyl zinc porphyrin (FPZnP-Fc), and 3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl free-base porphyrin (BPH2P-Fc). Charge separation and recombination in the XP-Fcs were confirmed by transient absorption spectra, and the lifetimes of the charge-separated states were estimated from the decay rate of the porphyrin radical anion band to be approximately 20 ps. The charge-separation rates of the XP-Fcs were found to be >10(13) s-1 from the S2 state and 6.3x10(12) s-1 from the S1 state. Charge separation from the S2 state was particularly efficient for BPZnP-Fc, whereas the main reaction pathway was from the S1 state for BPH2P-Fc. Charge separation from the S2 and S1 states occurred at virtually the same rate in benzene and tetrahydrofuran and was much faster than their solvation times. Analysis of these results using semiquantum Marcus theory indicates that the magnitude of the electronic-tunneling matrix element is rather large and far outside the range of nonadiabatic approximation. The pump-probe data show the presence of vibrational coherence during the reactions, suggesting that wavepacket dynamics on the adiabatic potential energy surface might regulate the ultrafast reactions.