Jooyoung Sung

Direct observation of ultrafast coherent exciton dynamics in helical π-stacks of self-assembled perylene bisimides

Ever since the discovery of dye self-assemblies in nature, there have been tremendous efforts to exploit biomimetic supramolecular assemblies for tailored artificial photon processing materials. This feature necessarily has resulted in an increasing demand for understanding exciton dynamics in the dye self-assemblies. In a sharp contrast with J-type aggregates, however, the detailed observation of exciton dynamics in H-type aggregates has remained challenging. In this study, as we succeed in measuring transient fluorescence from Frenkel state of π-stacked perylene tetracarboxylic acid bisimide dimer and oligomer aggregates, we present an experimental demonstration on Frenkel exciton dynamics of archetypal columnar π–π stacks of dyes. The analysis of the vibronic peak ratio of the transient fluorescence spectra reveals that unlike the simple π-stacked dimer, the photoexcitation energy in the columnar π-stacked oligomer aggregates is initially delocalized over at least three molecular units and moves coherently along the chain in tens of femtoseconds, preceding excimer formation process.

Solvent‐Induced Crystalline‐State Emission and Multichromism of a Bent π‐Surface System Composed of Dibenzocyclooctatetraene Units

All bent out of shape: The solvent of crystallization effectively enhances the emission of flexible, bent, π-conjugated molecules in the crystalline state owing to control of the packing of the molecules in the structure. Multichromism such as thermochromism and vapochromism also arises from the solvent-controlled packing. This crystalline-state emission is attributable to the flexibility of cyclooctatetraene units of the bent π-conjugated molecules in the solid state (see figure).

β-(Ethynylbenzoic acid)-substituted push–pull porphyrins: DSSC dyes prepared by a direct palladium-catalyzed alkynylation reaction

The palladium-catalyzed oxidative alkynylation of β-borylated porphyrins allows for concise preparation of push-pull structured ethynylbenzoic acid porphyrin derivatives. The resulting β-singly- and doubly-substituted porphyrin dyes are regarded as isomeric derivatives of the corresponding meso-substituted reference systems, and were found to give rise to nearly equal power conversion efficiencies when analyzed in DSSCs.

Excitation energy migration in covalently linked perylene bisimide macrocycles

A series of acetylene-linked perylene bisimide (PBI) macrocycles 3a–d with various ring sizes from trimer to hexamer have been synthesised by a palladium-catalysed homocoupling reaction of perylene bisimide 1. Photophysical properties of these PBI macrocycles have been examined by steady-state absorption, fluorescence, fluorescence lifetime, fluorescence anisotropy decay, and transient absorption measurements. Both pump-power dependence on the femtosecond transient absorption and the transient absorption anisotropy decay profiles are directly related with the excitation energy migration processes within PBI macrocycles where the exciton-exciton annihilation time and the polarization anisotropy decay time are well described in terms of the Forster-type incoherent energy hopping model. Consequently, the excitation energy hopping times of macrocycles become slower and then saturated as the ring size increases. Nevertheless, the intrinsically large transition dipole moment of PBI leads to fast energy transfer processes as compared to other artificial light-harvesting complexes such as those constructed from porphyrin building blocks.

Direct Observation of Excimer-Mediated Intramolecular Electron Transfer in a Cofacially-Stacked Perylene Bisimide Pair

We have elucidated excimer-mediated intramolecular electron transfer in cofacially stacked PBIs tethered by two phenylene-butadiynylene loops. The electron transfer between energetically equivalent PBIs is revealed by the simultaneous observation of the PBI radical anion and cation bands in the transient absorption spectra. The fluorescence decay time of the excimer states is in good agreement with the rise time of PBI radical bands in transient absorption spectra suggesting that the electron transfer dynamics proceed via the excimer state. We can conclude that the excimer state effectuates the efficient charge transfer in the cofacially stacked PBI dimer.

Subporphyrins with an Axial BC Bond

Axial fabrications of subporphyrins have been conveniently accomplished by the reaction of B(methoxo)triphenylsubporphyrin with Grignard reagents such as aryl-, heteroaryl-, ferrocenyl-, β-styryl-, phenylethynyl-, and ethylmagnesium bromides. The axial groups thus introduced are not conjugated with the subporphyrin core. This situation leads to effective fluorescence quenching of subporphyrins when the axial group is strongly electron donating such as 4-dimethylaminophenyl and ferrocenyl groups.

Modulation of Symmetry-Breaking Intramolecular Charge-Transfer Dynamics Assisted by Pendant Side Chains in π-Linkers in Quadrupolar Diketopyrrolopyrrole Derivatives

The effect of the length of pendant side chains in centrosymmetric quadrupolar molecules on dynamics of their most perplexing photophysical phenomenon, i.e., symmetry-breaking intramolecular charge transfer, has been discovered. Unexpectedly, considerable influence of length of these pendant side chains in π-linkers arose as a structural factor enabling the control of the degree of fluorescence solvatochromism. The symmetry-breaking intramolecular charge-transfer dynamics has been described on quadrupolar diketopyrrolopyrrole derivatives possessing fluorene moieties as π-linkers and diarylamino groups as electron donors. On the basis of the evolution of transient fluorescence spectra obtained by a femtosecond broadband fluorescence up-conversion spectroscopy, it was found that the relative contribution of diffusive solvation and torsional relaxation in overall spectral relaxation can be modulated by the length of pendant side chain in π-linkers. Consequently, we demonstrated that this modulation plays a significant role in determining the photophysical properties of diketopyrrolopyrroles in a polar medium.

Subporphyrinato Boron(III) Hydrides

Subporphyrinato boron(III) hydrides were prepared by reduction of subporphyrinato boron(III) methoxides with diisobutylaluminum hydride (DIBAL-H) in good yields. The authenticity of the B-H bond has been unambiguously confirmed by a (1)H NMR signal that appears as a broad quartet at -2.27 ppm with a large coupling constant with the central (11)B, characteristic B-H infrared stretching frequencies, and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Red shifts in the corresponding absorption and fluorescence profiles are accounted for in terms of the electron-donating nature of the B-hydride. The hydridic character of subporphyrinato boron(III) hydrides has been demonstrated by the production of H2 via reaction with water or HCl, and controlled reductions of aromatic aldehydes and imines in the presence of a catalytic amount of Ph3C[B(C6F5)4].

Ultrafast Intramolecular Energy Relaxation Dynamics of Benzoporphyrins: Influence of Fused Benzo Rings on Singlet Excited States

We have investigated the role of fused benzo rings on the electronic structures and intramolecular energy relaxation dynamics in a series of benzoporphyrins (Bp1, syn-Bp2, anti-Bp2, Bp3, and Bp4) by using time-resolved fluorescence measurements and theoretical calculations. Interestingly, even though anti- and syn-Bp2 have the same number of fused benzo rings, in the respective absorption spectra, anti-Bp2 shows an obvious splitting of B(x) (Q(x)) and B(y) (Q(y)) states, whereas syn-Bp2 exhibits degenerate B and Q bands. These features provide two dynamical models for the effect of the position of substituted benzo rings on the intramolecular energy relaxation dynamics. syn-Bp2 gives rise to similar intramolecular dynamics from the B state to the Q state in the case of ZnTPP having D(4h) molecular symmetry. On the other hand, anti-Bp2 shows split B and Q bands in the order B(y) > B(x) > Q(x) > Q(y), which leads a superimposition of the Q(x) (0,0) and Q(y) (1,0) bands. This overlap generates a strong coupling between these two states, which results in a direct internal conversion from B(x) (0,0) to Q(y) (0,0). This observation suggests that the anti-type fused position of benzo rings leads to a new mechanism in internal conversion from the B to the Q state. On the basis of this work, further insight was obtained into the effect of fused benzo rings on the photophysical properties of benzoporphyrins, providing a detailed understanding of the structure-property relationship in a series of benzoporphyrins.

The Role of Linkers in the Excited-State Dynamic Planarization Processes of Macrocyclic Oligothiophene 12-Mers

Linkers adjoining chromophores play an important role in modulating the structure of conjugated systems, which is bound up with their photophysical properties. However, to date, the focus of works dealing with linker effects was limited only to linear π-conjugated materials, and there have been no detailed studies on cyclic counterparts. Herein we report the linker effects on the dynamic planarization processes of π-conjugated macrocyclic oligothiophene 12-mers, where the different ratio between ethynylene and vinylene linkers was chosen to control the backbone rigidity. By analyzing transient fluorescence spectra, we demonstrate that the connecting linkers play a crucial role in the excited-state dynamics of cyclic conjugated systems. Faster dynamic planarization, longer exciton delocalization length, and higher degree of planarity were observed in vinylene inserted cyclic oligothiophenes. Molecular dynamics simulations and density functional theory calculations also stress the importance of the role of linkers in modulating the structure of cyclic oligothiophenes.