Photoinduced Processes in a Tricomponent Molecule Consisting of Diphenylaminofluorene−Dicyanoethylene−Methano[60]fullerene

Photoinduced intramolecular processes in a tricomponent molecule C60(>(CN)2-DPAF), consisting of an electron-accepting methano[60]fullerene moiety (C60>) covalently bound to an electron-donating diphenylaminofluorene (DPAF) unit via a bridging dicyanoethylenyl group [(CN)2], were investigated in comparison with (CN)2-DPAF. On the basis of the molecular orbital calculations, the lowest charge-separated state of C60(>(CN)2-DPAF) is suggested to be C60*-(>(CN)2-DPAF*+) with the negative charge localized on the fullerene cage, while the upper state is C60(>(CN)2*--DPAF*+). The excited-state events of C60(>(CN)2-DPAF) were monitored by both time-resolved emission and nanosecond transient absorption techniques. In both nonpolar and polar solvents, the excited charge-transfer state decayed mainly through initial energy-transfer process to the C60 moiety yielding the corresponding 1C60, from which charge separation took place leading to the formation of C60*-(>(CN)2-DPAF*+) in a fast rate and high efficiency. In addition, multistep charge separation from C60(>(CN)2*--DPAF*+) to C60*-(>(CN)2-DPAF*+) may be possible with the excitation of charge-transfer band. The lifetimes of C60*-(>(CN)2-DPAF*+) are longer than the previously reported methano[60]fullerene-diphenylaminofluorene C60(>(C=O)-DPAF) with the C60 and DPAF moieties linked by a methanoketo group. These findings suggest an important role of dicyanoethylenyl group as an electron mediating bridge in C60(>(CN)2-DPAF).