Abstract

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of a fullerene–porphyrin linked dyad and a porphyrin reference on a gold electrode have been prepared to exhibit anodic photocurrent generation instead of cathodic photocurrent generation for the first time. The spectroscopic and electrochemical studies reveal the densely-packed structure of the fullerene–porphyrin dyad on the gold electrode. The photoelectrochemical properties of SAMs of the fullerene–porphyrin dyad in the presence of an electron donor were examined and compared with those of the porphyrin reference without the fullerene otherwise under the same conditions. The quantum yield of photocurrent generation for the fullerene–porphyrin dyad cell is much larger than that of the porphyrin reference. These results clearly demonstrate that C₆₀ is a good electron mediator between the porphyrin moiety and the gold electrode.