Vinoda Kuchi, Anna M. Oliver, Michael N. Paddon-Row and Russell F. Howe
Irradiation of a rigid donor–{6-bond-bridge}–acceptor dyad [donor = dimethoxynaphthalene (DMN); acceptor = dicyanovinyl (DCV)] occluded within the pores of mesoporous MCM-41 containing aluminium leads to the formation of the DCV radical anion of the dyad with a lifetime of days.