Intramolecular light-induced electron transfer in a rigid, fixed-distance anthracene-N,N-dimethylaniline system. Exciplex-like behavior

In connection with the authors interest in light-induced electron transfer in rigid molecules, 2-(N,N-dimethylamino)-5,14-ethanopentacene (1) was synthesized. The anthracene electron acceptor and (N,N-dimethylamino)phenyl electron donor in 1 are held rigidly in a spatial configuration such that they are prevented from undergoing large structural changes before or after excitation. The fluorescence spectroscopy of 1 was investigated in solvents of differing polarity in order to probe for electron transfer from the (N,N-dimethylamino)phenyl donor to the excited anthracene acceptor, and the results are given.