Charge Separation in a Molecular Triad Consisting of an Iridium(III) – bis-terpy Central Core and Porphyrins as Terminal Electron Donor and Acceptor Groups

A fully charge-separated state PH2+-[Ir]-PAu− is formed with 50 % efficiency following excitation of the free-base porphyrin component PH2 of 1 by successive electron transfers to the iridium bis(terpyridine) moiety [Ir] and the gold porphyrin PAu. Its deactivation proceeds quantitatively through the triplet state 3PH2-[Ir]-PAu.