Issue 33, 2009

Supramolecular donor–acceptor hybrids of porphyrins/phthalocyanines with fullerenes/carbon nanotubes: electron transfer, sensing, switching, and catalytic applications

Abstract

Since the three-dimensional electron-accepting fullerene has been found to be an excellent building block for self-assembled supramolecular systems, we have investigated photoinduced electron transfer processes in supramolecular fullerene systems with porphyrins and phthalocyanines as electron donors to mimic natural photosynthesis. We have successfully formed self-assembled supramolecular dyads and triads via metal–ligand coordination, crown-ether inclusion, ion pairing, hydrogen-bonding, or π–π stacking interactions. Although the single mode of binding gives usually flexible supramolecular structures, the newly developed strategy of multiple modes of binding results in conjugates of defined distance and orientation between the donor and acceptor entities, which influences the overall electron transfer reactions. In these conjugates, we observe the anticipated acceleration of the charge separation process and deceleration of the charge recombination process. Applications of these supramolecular systems for reversible photoswitching of inter- and intramolecular electron transfer events open up new opportunities in the area of photosensors. Extension of the self-assembly approaches to single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) results in SWNTporphyrin/phthalocyanine nanohybrids capable of undergoing photoinduced electron transfer. These photochemical processes lead to photocatalytic reactions accumulating redox active substances of electron acceptor/mediator entities with the help of a sacrificial electron donor. Studies on these self-assembled supramolecular dyads, triads, tetrads, etc., are only in the beginning stages and future studies anticipate involvement of more complex systems targeted for better performances in light-driven devices.

Graphical abstract: Supramolecular donor–acceptor hybrids of porphyrins/phthalocyanines with fullerenes/carbon nanotubes: electron transfer, sensing, switching, and catalytic applications

Article information

Article type
Feature Article
Submitted
26 ربيع الأول 1430
Accepted
10 جمادى الثانية 1430
First published
10 رجب 1430

Chem. Commun., 2009, 4913-4928

Supramolecular donor–acceptor hybrids of porphyrins/phthalocyanines with fullerenes/carbon nanotubes: electron transfer, sensing, switching, and catalytic applications

F. D’Souza and O. Ito, Chem. Commun., 2009, 4913 DOI: 10.1039/B905753F

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements