Corrole-based photo-active arrays

Corroles are synthetic aromatic macrocycles of the tetrapyrrole family. Recent synthetic breakthroughs and subsequent developments made these compounds readily available. We have been engaged over the last few years in the study of the photophysical properties of free-base corroles 1 and their potential application in the construction of assemblies with useful photo-induced properties. From a photophysical viewpoint they are interesting since they are photo-stable, display high luminescence, can sensitise singlet oxygen, have singlet and triplet excited states with well characterized spectra and can be easily oxidized and reduced. We report on the photophysical characterization of various newly synthesised dyads formed by free-base corroles covalently linked to photo-active partners like free-base porphyrins, 1,8-napthalimides, aromatic amines and perylene bisimides.2-5 The results indicate that very efficient energy transfer and/or electron transfer processes occur in these dyads/ triads.