We report a detailed kinetic analysis of ultrafast interfacial and intra-assembly electron transfer following excitation of an oligoproline scaffold functionalized by chemically linked light-harvesting chromophore [Ru(pbpy)(2)(bpy)](2+) (pbpy = 4,4'-(PO3H2)(2)-2,2'-bipyridine, bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) and water oxidation catalyst [Ru(Mebimpy)(bpy)OH2](2+) (Mebimpy = 2,6-bis(1-methylbenzimidazol-2-yl)pyridine). The oligoproline scaffold approach is appealing due to its modular nature and helical tertiary structure. They allow for the control. of electron transfer distances in chromophore-catalyst assemblies for applications in dye-sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cells (DSPECs). The proline chromophore-catalyst assembly was loaded onto nanocrystalline TiO2 with the helical structure of the oligoproline scaffold maintaining the controlled relative positions of the chromophore and catalyst. Ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy was used to analyze the kinetics of the first photoactivation step for oxidation of water in the assembly. A global kinetic analysis of the transient absorption spectra reveals that photoinduced electron injection occurs in 18 ps and is followed by intra-assembly oxidative activation of the water oxidation catalyst on the hundreds of picoseconds time scale (k(ET) = 2.6 X 10(9) s(-1); tau = 380 ps). The first photoactivation step in the water oxidation cycle of the chromophore-catalyst assembly anchored to TiO2 is complete within 380 ps.

Femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy is used to characterize the first photoactivation step in a chromophore/water oxidation catalyst assembly formed through a "layer-by-layer" approach. Assemblies incorporating both chromophores and catalysts are central to the function of dye-sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cells (DSPECs) for generating solar fuels. The chromophore, [Rua(II)](2+) = [Ru(pbpy)2(bpy)](2+), and water oxidation catalyst, [Rub(II)-OH2](2+) = [Ru(4,4'-(CH2PO3H2)2bpy)(Mebimpy)(H2O)](2+), where bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, pbpy = 4,4'-(PO3H2)2bpy, and Mebimpy = 2,6-bis(1-methylbenzimidazol-2-yl)pyridine), are arranged on nanocrystalline TiO2 via phosphonate-Zr(IV) coordination linkages. Analysis of the transient spectra of the assembly (denoted TiO2-[Rua(II)-Zr-Rub(II)-OH2](4+)) reveal that photoexcitation initiates electron injection, which is then followed by the transfer of the oxidative equivalent from the chromophore to the catalyst with a rate of kET = 5.9 × 10(9) s(-1) (τ = 170 ps). While the assembly, TiO2-[Rua(II)-Zr-Rub(II)-OH2](4+), has a near-unit efficiency for transfer of the oxidative equivalent to the catalyst, the overall efficiency of the system is only 43% due to nonproductive photoexcitation of the catalyst and nonunit efficiency for electron injection. The modular nature of the layer-by-layer system allows for variation of the light-harvesting chromophore and water oxidation catalyst for future studies to increase the overall efficiency.

Energy transfer between the metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) excited states of [Pra [M(II)(bpy)2(4-Me-4'(-N(H)CO)bpy)](PF6)2 units ([Pra(M(II)bpy2(mbpy)](2+): M(II) = Ru(II) or Os(II), bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, mbpy = 4'-methyl-2,2'-bipyridine-4-carboxamido, Pra = 4-M(II)-L-proline) linked covalently to oligoproline assemblies in room temperature acetonitrile occurs on the picosecond-nanosecond time scale and has been time-resolved by transient emission measurements. Three derivatized oligoprolines, [CH3-CO-Pro6-Pra[Os(II)(bpy)2(mbpy)](2+)-Pro2-Pra[Ru(II)(bpy)2(mbpy)](2+)-Pro2-Pra[Ru(II)(bpy)2(mbpy)](2+)-Pro6-Glu-NH2](6+) (ORR-2, Pro = L-proline and Glu = glutamic acid); [CH3-CO-Pro6-Pra[Os(II)(bpy)2(mbpy)](2+)-Pro3-Pra[Ru(II)(bpy)2(mbpy)](2+)-Pro3-Pra[Ru(II)(bpy)2(mbpy)](2+)-Pro6-Glu-NH2](6+) (ORR-3); and CH3-CO-Pro6-Pra[Os(II)(bpy)2(mbpy)](2+)-Pro5-Pra[Ru(II)(bpy)2(mbpy)](2+)-Pro5-Pra[Ru(II)(bpy)2(mbpy)](2+)Pro6-Glu2-NH2](6+) (ORR-5), were prepared by using solid-phase peptide synthesis. Given the helical nature of the resulting assemblies and the nature of the synthesis, composition, length, and loading pattern are precisely controlled in the assemblies. In acetonitrile, they adopt a proline I helical secondary structure, confirmed by circular dichroism, in which the appended chromophores are ordered in well-defined orientations and internuclear separation distances although helix formation for ORR-2 is incomplete. Quantitative comparison of oligoproline ground-state absorption and steady-state emission spectra to those for the constituents, [Boc-Pra[M(II)(bpy)2(mbpy)](2+)-OH](PF6)2 (Boc = N(α)-(1,1-dimethylethoxycarbonyl), shows that following Ru(II) light absorption, Ru(II)* undergoes facile energy transfer resulting in sensitization of Os(II). Sensitization efficiencies are 93% for ORR-2, 77% for ORR-3, and 73% for ORR-5. Picosecond-resolved emission measurements reveal complex, coupled dynamics that arise from excited-state decay and kinetically competitive -Ru(II)*-Ru(II)- → -Ru(II)-Ru(II)*- energy transfer migration/exchange and downhill -Ru(II)*-Os(II) → -Ru(II)-Os(II)* energy transfer. These processes were modeled simultaneously to extract rate constants for Ru(II)* → Ru(II) energy-transfer migration, k(Ru*-Ru), and Ru(II)* → Os(II) energy transfer, k(Ru*-Os). For ORR-2, k(Ru*-Ru) = 2.9 × 10(7) s(-1) and k(Ru*-Os) = 3.4 × 10(8) s(-1). For ORR-3, k(Ru*-Ru) = 1.2 × 10(7) s(-1) and k(Ru*-Os) = 1.3 × 10(8) s(-1). For ORR-5, k(Ru*-Ru) = 3.6 × 10(6) s(-1) and k(Ru*-Os) = 5.8 × 10(7) s(-1), all in acetonitrile at 22 °C. The data were analyzed by assuming Dexter energy transfer with the Franck-Condon factors arising from intramolecular structural and medium changes evaluated by use of an emission spectral fitting procedure. Fits of the data to the Dexter mechanism were consistent with the predicted distance dependence of energy transfer.

The performance of dye-sensitized solar and photoelectrochemical cells is strongly dependent on the electron transfer events at the electrode-sensitizer interface. Surface-bound peptides derivatized with chromophores have not been used in dye-sensitized solar and photoelectrochemical cells, but they have properties for these applications that could be advantageous by exploiting secondary structure and the attachment of multiple chromophores. In this manuscript, we have investigated structure-property relationships for three metallopeptide-based assemblies to solution and chemically bound to nanocrystalline MO(2) (M = Ti, Zr) films. A particular interest was exploring the influence of increasing separation distance between a common chromophore, [Ru(bpy)(2) (4-Me-4'-(NHCO)bpy)](2+) , and the underlying oxide substrate on excited and ground state electron transfer. Rates of Ru(II) oxidation to Ru(III) at the interface were measured by cyclic voltammetry on fluorine-doped tin oxide and cross-surface electron transfer on TiO(2) . Excited state injection by [Ru(III) (bpy)(2) (bpy(-) )](2+) was monitored by transient absorption and time-resolved emission. There are discernible trends in the electron transfer rate data with approximated, fully extended distances between the [Ru(bpy)(2) (4-Me-4'-(NHCO)bpy)](2+) sites and the interface. However, the distance dependences that are observed are smaller than anticipated, a result consistent with a lack of ordered secondary structure in the surface-bound peptide chains and a distribution of local orientations. For the surface-bound excited states, only a small fraction undergo quenching by electron transfer to TiO(2) , presumably from those oriented near the surface.

Knowledge of electronic structures and transport mechanisms in dye-sensitized semiconductors is motivated by their ubiquity in photoelectrochemical cells. In this work, optical spectroscopies are used to uncover the elementary dynamics initiated by light absorption at such molecule-semiconductor interfaces (e.g., electron transfer and nuclear relaxation). These processes are explored in a family of ruthenium bipyridyl complexes in aqueous solutions, wherein phosphonate groups are used to bind the molecules to TiO2 nanocrystalline films. The complexes differ in (i) the number of phosphonate groups and (ii) the presence (or absence) of a methylene bridge between the molecule and the TiO2 surface. A resonance Raman intensity analysis suggests that the electronic excitations possess very little charge transfer character for all complexes. That is, the electronic orbitals involved in light absorption are essentially localized to the molecules. Because the electronic resonances are molecular in character, the photophysics are most appropriately viewed as sequences in which light absorption precedes electron transfer. Transient absorption measurements conducted on the dye-sensitized films show that electron injection processes initiating directly from the photoexcited singlet states of the molecules occur in 100 fs or less. In contrast, the electron transfer rates slow down by at least a factor of 10 when intersystem crossing in the molecule precedes electron injection into TiO2. For ruthenium complexes linked to TiO2 with methylene bridges, intersystem crossing is more efficient than singlet electron injection because of attenuated molecule-TiO2 couplings; electron transfer primarily initiates in triplet states for these systems. Overall, the fundamental connections drawn in this work between molecular structure and photophysical behavior contribute to the general understanding of photoelectrochemical cells based on related molecule-semiconductor systems.

Solid-phase peptide synthesis has been applied to the preparation of phosphonate-derivatized oligoproline assemblies containing two different Ru(II) polypyridyl chromophores coupled via "click" chemistry. In water or methanol the assembly adopts the polyproline II (PPII) helical structure, which brings the chromophores into close contact. Excitation of the assembly on ZrO2 at the outer Ru(II) in 0.1 M HClO4 at 25 °C is followed by rapid, efficient intra-assembly energy transfer to the inner Ru(II) (k(EnT) = 3.0 × 10(7) s(-1), implying 96% relative efficiency). The comparable energy transfer rate constants in solution and on nanocrystalline ZrO2 suggest that the PPII structure is retained when bound to ZrO2. On nanocrystalline films of TiO2, excitation at the inner Ru(II) is followed by rapid, efficient injection into TiO2. Excitation of the outer Ru(II) is followed by rapid intra-assembly energy transfer and then by electron injection. The oligoproline/click chemistry approach holds great promise for the preparation of interfacial assemblies for energy conversion based on a family of assemblies having controlled compositions and distances between key functional groups.

Excited-state proton-transfer dynamics between 7-hydroxy-4(trifluoromethyl)coumarin and 1-methylimidazole base in toluene were studied using ultrafast pump probe and time-resolved emission methods. Charge-transfer excitation of the hydroxycoumarin shifts electron density from the hydroxyl group to the carbonyl, resulting in an excited state where proton transfer to the base is highly favored. In addition to its the photoacid characteristics, the shift in the hydroxycoumarin electronic distribution gives it characteristics of a photobase as well. The result is a tautomerization process occurring on the picosecond time scale in which the 1-methylimidazole base acts as a proton-transfer shuttle from the hydroxyl group to the carbonyl.

Herein we report energy transfer studies in a series of Ru(II) and Os(II) linked coiled-coil peptides in which the supramolecular scaffold controls the functional properties of the assembly. A general and convergent method for the site-specific incorporation of bipyridyl Ru(II) and Os(II) complexes using solid-phase peptide synthesis and the copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition is reported. Supramolecular assembly positions the chromophores for energy transfer. Using time-resolved emission spectroscopy we measured position-dependent energy transfer that can be varied through changes in the sequence of the peptide scaffold. High level molecular dynamics simulations were used in conjunction with the spectroscopic techniques to gain molecular-level insight into the observed trends in energy transfer. The most efficient pair of Ru(II) and Os(II) linked peptides as predicted by molecular modeling also exhibited the fastest rate of energy transfer (with k(EnT) = 2.3 × 10(7) s(-1) (42 ns)). Additionally, the emission quenching for the Ru(II) and Os(II) peptides can be fit to binding models that agree with the dissociation constants determined for the peptides via chemical denaturation.

The simultaneous, concerted transfer of electrons and protons--electron-proton transfer (EPT)--is an important mechanism utilized in chemistry and biology to avoid high energy intermediates. There are many examples of thermally activated EPT in ground-state reactions and in excited states following photoexcitation and thermal relaxation. Here we report application of ultrafast excitation with absorption and Raman monitoring to detect a photochemically driven EPT process (photo-EPT). In this process, both electrons and protons are transferred during the absorption of a photon. Photo-EPT is induced by intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) excitation of hydrogen-bonded-base adducts with either a coumarin dye or 4-nitro-4'-biphenylphenol. Femtosecond transient absorption spectral measurements following ICT excitation reveal the appearance of two spectroscopically distinct states having different dynamical signatures. One of these states corresponds to a conventional ICT excited state in which the transferring H(+) is initially associated with the proton donor. Proton transfer to the base (B) then occurs on the picosecond time scale. The other state is an ICT-EPT photoproduct. Upon excitation it forms initially in the nuclear configuration of the ground state by application of the Franck-Condon principle. However, due to the change in electronic configuration induced by the transition, excitation is accompanied by proton transfer with the protonated base formed with a highly elongated (+)H ─ B bond. Coherent Raman spectroscopy confirms the presence of a vibrational mode corresponding to the protonated base in the optically prepared state.

The emitting metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) excited state of fac-[Re-I(bpy)(CO)(3)(4,4'-bpy)](+) (1) (bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine, 4,4'-bpy is 4,4'-bipyridine), [Re-II(bpy(-center dot))(CO)(3)(4,4'-bpy)](+)*, is reductively quenched by 1,4-hydroquinone (H(2)Q) in CH3CN at 23 +/- 2 degrees C by competing pathways to give a common electron-proton-transfer intermediate. In one pathway, electron transfer (ET) quenching occurs to give Re-I(bpy(-center dot))(CO)(3)(4,4'-bpy)](0) with k = (1.8 +/- 0.2) x 10(9) M-1 s(-1), followed by proton transfer from H(2)Q to give [Re-I(bpy)(CO)(3)(4,4'-bpyH(center dot))](+). Protonation triggers intramolecular bpy(center dot-) -> 4,4'-bpyH(+) electron transfer. In the second pathway, preassociation occurs between the ground state and H(2)Q at high concentrations. Subsequent Re -> bpy MLCT excitation of the adduct is followed by electron-proton transfer from H(2)Q in concert with intramolecular bpy(center dot-) -> 4,4'-bpyH(+) electron transfer to give [Re-I(bpy)(CO)(3)(4,4'-bpyH(center dot))](+) with k = (1.0 +/- 0.4) x 10(9) s(-1) in 3:1 CH3CN/H2O.