Solvent effects on competitive intramolecular electron transfer and energy transfer in a covalently linked porphyrin-phthalocyanine heterodimer

Photophysical properties of a porphyrin-phthalocyanine heterodimer covalently linked with a dipentoxy chain have been studied. Absorption spectra show that there is weak exciton coupling between the two chromophores in the ground state. Fluorescence spectra show that intramolecular energy transfer from porphyrin to phthalocyanine moiety occurs in competition with electron transfer. The efficiency of these two processes depends upon the mutual orientation of the two chromophores. The effect of solvent polarity on the intramolecular processes is also discussed.