Synthesis, electrochemical, and photophysical studies of multicomponent systems based on porphyrin and ruthenium(II) polypyridine complexes

Two ruthenium tris-bipyridine functionalized porphyrins 4, 8 and their Zn derivatives 4–Zn, 8–Zn were designed, synthesized, and characterized. The redox potentials of these complexes as well as their corresponding monomeric reference porphyrin and ruthenium bipyridine complexes were also measured for comparison. Primary dynamic studies on the electron injection and backing recombination between these complexes and TiO2 nanoparticles were carried out by means of transient absorption spectroscopy. The results indicate that a long-lived charge separation state was obtained in these assemblies.