The role of counter-anions in the kinetics and chirality of porphyrin J-aggregates

Kinetics of the growth of TPPS 4 porphyrin J-aggregates slow down in the order H 2 SO 4 > HCl > HBr > HNO 3 > HClO 4 , in agreement with the Hofmeister series. The rate constants and the extent of chirality correlate with the structure-making or breaking abilities of the different anions with respect to the hydrogen bonding network of the solvent. The structure-making or breaking abilities of different anions, according to the Hofmeister series, play an important role in controlling the kinetics of growth and the chirality in porphyrin J-aggregates.