ABSTRACT
Artificial photosynthetic systems for solar energy conversion exploit both covalent and supramolecular chemistry to produce favorable arrangements of light-harvesting and redox-active chromophores in space. An understanding of the interplay between key processes for photosynthesis, namely light-harvesting, energy transfer, and photoinduced charge separation and the design of novel, self-assembling components capable of these processes are imperative for the realization of multifunctional integrated systems. We report our investigations on the potential of extended tetracationic cyclophane/perylene diimide systems as components for artificial photosynthetic applications. We show how the selection of appropriate heterocycles, as extending units, allows for tuning of the electron accumulation and photophysical properties of the extended tetracationic cyclophanes. Spectroscopic techniques confirm energy transfer between the extended tetracationic cyclophanes and perylene diimide is ultrafast and quantitative, while the heterocycle specifically influences the energy transfer related parameters and the acceptor excited state.
ABSTRACT
Ionised benzimidazole and its isomeric alpha-distonic ion (or ionised ylid) have been examined by recording their metastable ion, collision-induced dissociation and neutralisation-reionisation mass spectra. These tautomers may be distinguished by careful consideration of key features of the collision-induced dissociation spectra, with or without prior neutralisation and reionisation. Formation of doubly-charged ions by charge stripping occurs preferentially when the alpha-distonic ion is subjected to collision. This alpha-distonic ion survives neutralisation and reionisation, thus establishing that the corresponding ylid is stable on the microsecond time frame. The effects of benzannulation on the ease of differentiation of classical and distonic radical cations derived from biologically important heterocycles are considered.
