Artificial Light-Harvesting Antennae: Singlet Excitation Energy Transfer from Zinc Chlorin Aggregate to Bacteriochlorin in Homogeneous Hexane Solution

Abstract— Zinc chlorins possessing 3¹-hydroxyl and 13¹-carbonyl groups self-assemble in nonpolar solvents, such as hexane, in a manner similar to bacteriochlorophyll c in the chlorosomes of green photosynthetic bacteria. Visible absorption and steady-state fluorescence measurements of zinc chlorin aggregates containing a small amount of the bacteriochlorin-zinc chlorin dyad molecules showed that singlet excitation energy transfer from the zinc chlorin aggregate to the bacteriochlorin moiety of the coaggre-gated dyad occurs in the homogeneous solution. In the coaggregated dyad, the bacteriochlorin moiety plays the role of an efficient energy trap and the chlorin moiety the role of an anchor to the donor aggregate. The artificial assembly thus mimics the structure and function of natural chlorosomes and can be considered as the first in vitro supramolecular light-harvesting antenna.     

Quantitative Supramolecular Heterodimerization for Efficient Energy Transfer

The challenge of quantitatively forming self‐assembled heterodimers without other equilibrium by‐products is overcome through self‐sorting favored by the introduction of designed shape‐complementary moieties. Such a supramolecular strategy based on cucurbit[8]uril‐directed dimerization is further applied to generate hetero‐chromophore dimers quantitatively, leading to efficient energy transfer (>85 %) upon photoexcitation.     

Self-Assembly of Synthetic Zinc Chlorins in Aqueous Microheterogeneous Media to an Artificial Supramolecular Light-Harvesting Device

Self-assembled aggregates of a synthetic zinc chlorin in an aqueous suspension with either α-lecithin or Triton X-100 exhibit unique structural and functional properties. Absorption, circular dichroism, fluorescence, and resonance Raman spectra indicate that the supramolecular structure in an aqueous microheterogeneous medium is very similar to that of the bacteriochlorophyll c aggregates in non-polar organic solvents and in chlorosomes, the main light-harvesting antennae of green photosynthetic bacteria. The nature of the aggregates is controlled by structure and/or concentration of the added surfactants. When a small amount of metal-free bacteriochlorin is present it acts as an efficient energy acceptor from the aggregated zinc chlorins. Thus, self-assembly of synthetic zinc chlorins, doped with appropriate energy acceptors and surrounded with surfactants, affords an artificial supramolecular light-harvesting device in aqueous environment.     

Sequential,Ultrafast Energy Transfer and Electron Transfer in a Fused Zinc Phthalocyanine-free-base Porphyrin-C60 Supramolecular Triad

A supramolecular triad composed of a fused zinc phthalocyanine-free-base porphyrin dyad (ZnPc-H₂P) coordinated to phenylimidazole functionalized C₆₀ via metal-ligand axial coordination was assembled, as a photosynthetic antenna-reaction centre mimic. The process of self-assembly resulting into the formation of C₆₀Im:ZnPc-H₂P supramolecular triad was probed by proton NMR, UV-Visible and fluorescence experiments at ambient temperature. The geometry and electronic structures were deduced from DFT calculations performed at the B3LYP/6-31G(dp) level. Electrochemical studies revealed ZnPc to be a better electron donor compared to H₂P, and C₆₀ to be the terminal electron acceptor. Fluorescence studies of the ZnPc-H₂P dyad revealed excitation energy transfer from ¹H₂P* to ZnPc within the fused dyad and was confirmed by femtosecond transient absorption studies. Similar to that reported earlier for the fused ZnPc-ZnP dyad, the energy transfer rate constant, k_ENT was in the order of 10¹² s⁻¹ in the ZnPc-H₂P dyad indicating an efficient process as a consequence of direct fusion of the two π-systems. In the presence of C₆₀Im bound to ZnPc, photoinduced electron transfer leading to H₂P-ZnPc^.+:ImC₆₀^.− charge separated state was observed either by selective excitation of ZnPc or H₂P. The latter excitation involved an energy transfer followed by electron transfer mechanism. Nanosecond transient absorption studies revealed that the lifetime of charge separated state persists for about 120 ns indicating charge stabilization in the triad.     

纳米晶体自组装结构中非辐射能量传递过程的验证

以上转换纳米粒子NaYF₄：20% Yb,2% Er@NaYF₄（标记为UCNP）和金纳米粒子（AuNP）分别作为能量传递研究的给体和受体,研究在具有确定位置关系的组装结构中二者之间的非辐射能量传递是否存在。以UCNP和AuNP作为基本构建单元,采用气-液界面溶剂挥发法,得到了连续大面积规整排列的二维UCNP单层自组装膜。再通过层层组装得到UCNP+AuNP双层膜、UCNP+NaYF₄+AuNP三层膜。利用自行搭建的光谱成像系统对自组装结构进行了发光性质测试。对比3种膜结构的发光情况,发现UCNP+AuNP双层膜和UCNP+NaYF₄+AuNP三层膜的发光与UCNP单层膜减弱幅度相近,即在我们研究的体系中UCNP和AuNP之间不存在明显的非辐射能量传递过程。本研究提供了一种几何关系明确的组装体模型,并搭建了相应的微区发光性质测试设备,验证了在我们设计的自组装模型中并不存在UCNP与AuNP的非辐射能量传递。     

Luminescence Resonance Energy Transfer in a Multiple‐Component,Self‐Assembled Supramolecular Hydrogel

Cascade energy transfer from a sensitizer to Tb^III then to fluorescent dyes was studied for the first time in a supramolecular hydrogel. Efficient energy transfer from Tb^III to the dyes was observed, as established by time‐delayed emission and excitation spectral analysis, lifetime data, and microscopic studies.     

Unusual Photoinduced Electron Transfer from a Zinc Porphyrin to a Tetrapyridyl Free‐Base Porphyrin in a Noncovalent Multiporphyrin Array

Excitation of the peripheral Zn porphyrin units in a noncovalent five‐porphyrin array, formed by gable‐like zinc(II) bisporphyrins and a central free‐base meso‐tetrakis(4‐pyridyl)porphyrin in a 2:1 ratio, ( ZnP₂ )₂? ( TPyP ), does not lead to a quantitative sensitization of the luminescence of the free‐base porphyrin acceptor, even though there is an effective energy transfer. Time resolution of the luminescence evidences a quenching of TPyP upon sensitization by the peripheral ZnP₂ . The time evolution of the TPyP fluorescence in the complex can be described by a bi‐exponential fitting with a major component of 180 ps and a minor one of 5 ns, compared to an isolated TPyP lifetime of 9.4 ns. The two quenched lifetimes are shown to be correlated to the presence of 2:1 and 1:1 complexes, respectively. No quenching of TPyP fluorescence occurs in ( ZnP₂ )₂?( TPyP ) at 77 K in a rigid solvent for which only an energy‐transfer process (τ=150±10 ps) from peripheral ZnP₂ to the central TPyP is observed. An unusual HOMO–HOMO electron‐transfer reaction from ZnP₂ to the excited TPyP units, responsible for the observed phenomena, is detected. The resulting charge‐separated state, ( ZnP₂ )⁺₂?( TPyP )^? is found to recombine to the ground state with a lifetime of 11 ns.     

Remote Sensitized Photoisomerization via Through‐Bond Triplet–Triplet Energy Transfer Mediated by a Salt Bridge in a Supramolecular Dyad

A supramolecular dyad, BP‐(amidinium‐carboxylate)‐NBD is constructed, in which benzophenone (BP) and norbornadiene (NBD) are connected via an amidinium‐carboxylate salt bridge. The photophysical and photochemical properties of the assembled BP‐(amidinium‐carboxylate)‐NBD dyad are examined. The phosphorescence of the BP chromophore is efficiently quenched by the NBD group in BP‐(amidinium‐carboxylate)‐NBD via the salt bridge. Time‐resolved spectroscopy measurements indicate that the lifetime of the BP triplet state in BP‐(amidinium‐carboxylate)‐NBD is shortened due to the quenching by the NBD group. Selective excitation of the BP chromophore results in isomerization of the NBD group to quadricyclane (QC). All of these observations suggest that the triplet–triplet energy transfer occurs efficiently in the BP‐(amidinium‐carboxylate)‐NBD salt bridge system. The triplet–triplet energy transfer process proceeds with efficiencies of approximately 0.87, 0.98 and the rate constants 1.8×10³ s^?1, and 1.3×10⁷ s^?1 at 77 K and room temperature, respectively. The mechanism for the triplet–triplet energy transfer is proposed to proceed via a “through‐bond” electron exchange process, and the non‐covalent bonds amidinium‐carboxylate salt bridge can mediate the triplet–triplet energy transfer process effectively for photochemical conversion.     

A Supramolecular Artificial Light‐Harvesting System with Two‐Step Sequential Energy Transfer for Photochemical Catalysis

An artificial light‐harvesting system with sequential energy‐transfer process was fabricated based on a supramolecular strategy. Self‐assembled from the host–guest complex formed by water‐soluble pillar[5]arene (WP5), a bola‐type tetraphenylethylene‐functionalized dialkyl ammonium derivative (TPEDA), and two fluorescent dyes, Eosin Y (ESY) and Nile Red (NiR), the supramolecular vesicles achieve efficient energy transfer from the AIE guest TPEDA to ESY. ESY can function as a relay to further transfer the energy to the second acceptor NiR and realize a two‐step sequential energy‐transfer process with good efficiency. By tuning the donor/acceptor ratio, bright white light emission can be successfully achieved with a CIE coordinate of (0.33, 0.33). To better mimic natural photosynthesis and make full use of the harvested energy, the WP5?TPEDA‐ESY‐NiR system can be utilized as a nanoreactor: photocatalyzed dehalogenation of α‐bromoacetophenone was realized with 96 % yield in aqueous medium.     

Self-Assembly of a Pyridine-Based Amphiphile Complexed with Regioisomeric Dihydroxy Naphthalenes into Supramolecular Nanotubes with Different Inner Diameters

A pyridine-based amphiphile complexed with 1,5-, 1,6-, 2,6-, or 2,7-dihydroxy naphthalene self-assembled in water to form nanotubes with inner diameters of 46, 38, 24, 18, and 11 nm in which the naphthalene molecules formed J-type aggregates. In contrast, the amphiphile complexed with 1,2-, 1,3-, 1,4-, 1,7-, 1,8-, or 2,3-dihydroxy naphthalene formed nanofibers in which the naphthalene molecules formed H-type aggregates. The inner diameter of the nanotubes strongly depended on the regioisomeric dihydroxy naphthalene. UV–vis, fluorescence, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry showed that nanotubes with smaller inner diameters had weaker intermolecular hydrogen bonds between the tilted amphiphiles complexed with the naphthalene molecules within the membrane walls and showed larger Stokes shifts in the excimer fluorescence of the naphthalene moiety. These findings should be useful not only for fine-tuning the inner diameters of supramolecular nanotubes but also for controlling the aggregation states of functional aromatic molecules to generate nanostructures with useful optical and electronic properties in water.     

A Light-Harvesting/Charge-Separation Model with Energy Gradient Made of Assemblies of meta-Pyridyl Zinc Porphyrins

Self-assembly of porphyrins is a fascinating topic, not only for mimicking chlorophyll assemblies in photosynthetic organisms, but also for the potential of creating molecular-level devices. Herein, zinc porphyrin derivatives bearing a meta-pyridyl group at the meso position were prepared and their assemblies studied in chloroform. Among the porphyrins studied, one with a carbamoylpyridyl moiety gave a distinct ¹H NMR spectrum in CDCl₃, which allowed the supramolecular structure in solution to be probed in detail. Ring-current-induced chemical-shift changes in the ¹H NMR spectrum, together with vapor-pressure osmometry and diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy, among other evidence, suggested that the porphyrin molecules form a trimer with a triangular cone structure. Incorporation of a directly linked porphyrin–ferrocene dyad with the same assembling properties in the assemblies led to a rare example of a light-harvesting/charge-separation system in which an energy gradient is incorporated and reductive quenching occurs.     

Photoinduced Electron Transfer in Zinc Naphthalocyanine–Naphthalenediimide Supramolecular Dyads

Photoinduced electron transfer was studied in self‐assembled donor–acceptor dyads, formed by axial coordination of pyridine appended with naphthalenediimide (NDI) to zinc naphthalocyanine (ZnNc). The NDI‐py:ZnNc ( 1 ) and NDI(CH₂)₂‐py:ZnNc ( 2 ) self‐assembled dyads absorb light over a wide region of the UV/Vis/near infrared (NIR) spectrum. The formation constants of the dyads 1 and 2 in toluene were found to be 2.5×10⁴ and 2.2×10⁴ M ^?1, respectively, from the steady‐state absorption and emission measurements, suggesting moderately stable complex formation. Fluorescence quenching was observed upon the coordination of the pyridine‐appended NDI to ZnNc in toluene. The energy‐level diagram derived from electrochemical and optical data suggests that exergonic charge separation through the singlet state of ZnNc (¹ZnNc*) provides the main quenching pathway. Clear evidence for charge separation from the singlet state of ZnNc to NDI was provided by femtosecond laser photolysis measurements of the characteristic absorption bands of the ZnNc radical cation in the NIR region at 960 nm and the NDI radical anion in the visible region. The rates of charge‐separation of 1 and 2 were found to be 2.2×10¹⁰ and 4.4×10⁹ s^?1, respectively, indicating fast and efficient charge separation (CS). The rates of charge recombination (CR) and the lifetimes of the charge‐separated states were found to be 8.50×10⁸ s^?1 (1.2 ns) for 1 and 1.90×10⁸ s^?1 (5.3 ns) for 2 . These values indicate that the rates of the CS and CR processes decrease as the length of the spacer increases. Their absorption over a wide portion of the solar spectrum and the high ratio of the CS/CR rates suggests that the self‐assembled NDI‐py:ZnNc and NDI(CH₂)₂‐py:ZnNc dyads are useful as photosynthetic models.     

Self-Assembly of an Amino Acid Derivative into an Antimicrobial Hydrogel Biomaterial

N-(4-Nitrobenzoyl)-Phe self-assembled into a transparent supramolecular hydrogel, which displayed high fibroblast and keratinocyte cell viability. The compound showed a mild antimicrobial activity against E. coli both as a hydrogel and in solution. Single-crystal XRD data revealed packing details, including protonation of the C-terminus due to an apparent pK_a shift, as confirmed by pH titrations. MicroRaman analysis revealed almost identical features between the gel and crystal states, although more disorder in the former. The hydrogel is thermoreversible and disassembles within a range of temperatures that can be fine-tuned by experimental conditions, such as gelator concentration. At the minimum gelling concentration of 0.63 wt %, the hydrogel disassembles in a physiological temperature range of 39–42 °C, thus opening the way to its potential use as a biomaterial.     

Urea Derivatives as Functional Molecules: Supramolecular Capsules,Supramolecular Polymers,Supramolecular Gels,Artificial Hosts,and Catalysts

Urea, which has both hydrogen bond acceptor and donor moieties, is an ideal structure for a supramolecular synthon. Various supramolecules having ureido group(s) have been widely developed. This article summarizes recent developments of urea derivatives that exhibit various functions: i) supramolecular capsules that form discrete urea–urea intermolecular hydrogen bonds, ii) supramolecular polymers that form continuous urea–urea intermolecular hydrogen bonds, iii) supramolecular gels that form continuous urea–urea intermolecular hydrogen bonds, iv) artificial host molecules based on the molecular recognition ability of the ureido group, and v) catalytic reactions developed by utilizing the molecular recognition ability of the ureido group.     

A Panchromatic Supramolecular Fullerene‐Based Donor–Acceptor Assembly Derived from a Peripherally Substituted Bodipy–Zinc Phthalocyanine Dyad

A panchromatic 4,4‐difluoro‐4‐bora‐3a,4a‐diaza‐s‐indacene –zinc phthalocyanine conjugate (Bodipy–ZnPc) 1 was synthesized starting from phthalocyanine aldehyde 4 , via dipyrromethane 3 and dipyrromethene 2 . Conjugate 1 represents the first example in which a Bodipy unit is tethered to the peripheral position of a phthalocyanine core. Electrochemical and optical measurements provided evidence for strong electronic interactions between the Bodipy and ZnPc constituents in the ground state of 1 . When conjugate 1 is subjected to photoexcitation in the spectral region corresponding to the Bodipy absorption, the strong fluorescence characteristic of the latter subunit is effectively quenched (i.e., ≥97 %). Excitation spectral analysis confirmed that the photoexcited Bodipy and the tethered ZnPc subunits interact and that intraconjugate singlet energy transfer occurs with an efficiency of ca. 25 %. Treatment of conjugate 1 with N‐pyridylfulleropyrrolidine ( 8 ), an electron‐acceptor system containing a nitrogen ligand, gives rise to the novel electron donor–acceptor hybrid 1 ? 8 through ligation to the ZnPc center. Irradiation of the resulting supramolecular ensemble within the visible range leads to a charge‐separated Bodipy–ZnPc^.+–C₆₀^.? radical‐ion‐pair state, through a sequence of excited‐state and charge transfers, characterized by a remarkably long lifetime of 39.9 ns in toluene.     

Mechanistic Insights into the Self-Assembly of an Acid-Sensitive Photoresponsive Supramolecular Polymer

The supramolecular polymerization of an acid-sensitive pyridyl-based ligand ( L₁ ) bearing a photoresponsive azobenzene moiety was elucidated by mechanistic studies. Addition of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) led to the transformation of the antiparallel H-bonded fibers of L₁ in methylcyclohexane into superhelical braid-like fibers stabilized by H-bonding of parallel-stacked monomer units. Interestingly, L₁ dimers held together by unconventional pyridine–TFA N⋅⋅⋅H⋅⋅⋅O bridges represent the main structural elements of the assembly. UV-light irradiation caused a strain-driven disassembly and subsequent aggregate reconstruction, which ultimately led to short fibers. The results allowed to understand the mechanism of mutual influence of acid and light stimuli on supramolecular polymerization processes, thus opening up new possibilities to design advanced stimuli-triggered supramolecular systems.