Chlorophyll-porphyrin heterodimers with orthogonal .pi. systems: solvent polarity dependent photophysics

The synthesis and properties of a series of fixed-distance chlorophyll-porphyrin molecules are described. These molecules consist of a methyl pyrochlorophyllide a moiety which is directly bonded at its 2-position to the 5-position of a 2,8,12,18-tetraethyl-3,7,13,17-tetramethyl-15-(p-tolyl)porphyrin. Steric hindrance between adjacent substituents rigidly positions the {pi} systems of both macrocycles perpendicular to one another. The macrocycles were selectively metalated with zinc to give the four possible derivatives, HCHP, ZCHP, HCZP, and ZCZP, where H, Z, C, and P denote free base, Zn derivative, chlorin, and porphyrin, respectively. The lowest excited singlet states of HCHP and ZCHP, which are localized on HC and ZC, respectively, exhibit lifetimes and fluorescence quantum yields that are solvent polarity independent and do not differ significantly from those of chlorophyll itself. ZCZP, however, displays a lowest excited singlet state and lifetime and fluorescence quantum yield that are strongly solvent polarity dependent.