Supramolecular complex of a fused zinc phthalocyanine–zinc porphyrin dyad assembled by two imidazole-C60 units: ultrafast photoevents

A new zinc phthalocyanine–zinc porphyrin dyad (ZnPc–ZnP) fused through a pyrazine ring has been synthesized as a receptor for imidazole-substituted C60 (C60Im) electron acceptor. Self-assembly via metal–ligand axial coordination and the pertinent association constants in solution were determined by 1H-NMR, UV-Vis and fluorescence titration experiments at room temperature. The designed host was able to bind up to two C60Im electron acceptor guest molecules to yield C60Im:ZnPc–ZnP:ImC60 donor–acceptor supramolecular complex. The spectral data showed that the two binding sites behave independently with binding constants similar in magnitude. Steady-state fluorescence studies were indicative of an efficient singlet–singlet energy transfer from zinc porphyrin to zinc phthalocyanine within the fused dyad. Accordingly, the transient absorption studies covering a wide timescale of femto-to-milli seconds revealed ultrafast energy transfer from 1ZnP* to ZnPc (kEnT ∼ 1012 s−1) in the fused dyad. Further, a photo induced electron transfer was observed in the supramolecularly assembled C60Im:ZnPc–ZnP:ImC60 donor–acceptor complex leading to charge separated states, which persisted for about 200 ns.