Metal Dependence on the Bidirectionality and Reversibility of the Singlet Energy Transfer in Artificial Special Pair-Containing Dyads

Abstract

The demetalation of a precursor dyad, 3, built upon a zinc(II)-containing artificial special pair and free-base antenna, leads to a new dyad, 4, for singlet energy transfer composed of cofacial free-base porphyrins (acceptor), [Fb]2 bridged by a 1,4-C6H4 group to a free-base antenna (donor), [Fb]. This dyad exhibits the general structure [M]2-C6H4-[Fb], where [M]2 = [Fb]2, and completes a series reported earlier, where [M]2 = [Mg]2 (2) and [Zn]2 (3). The latter dyads exhibit a bidirectional energy-transfer process at 298 K for 2 and at 77 K for 3. Interestingly, a very scarce case of cycling process is observed for the zinc-containing dyad at 298 K. The newly reported compound 4 exhibits a quasi unidirectional process [Fb]*→[Fb]2 (major, kET = 2 × 1011 s–1 at 298 K), where the remaining is [Fb]2*→[Fb] (minor, kET = 8 × 109 s–1 at 298 K), thus completing all possibilities. The results are analyzed in terms of molecular orbital couplings (density functional theory computations), Förster resonance energy transfer parameters, and temperature dependence of the decay traces. This study brings major insights about artificial special pair-containing dyads and clearly contributes to a better understanding of the communication between the two main components of our models and those already described in the literature.