Influence of the fluoride anion on photoinduced charge transfer interactions in adenine-functionalized push–pull naphthalenediimide chromophores

A new series of nucleobase adenine (A)-functionalized naphthalene diimide (NDI) derivatives to form a donor-acceptor conjugate has been designed, synthesized and characterized. The photoinduced electron transfer from A to NDI chromophores upon fluoride anion binding to the chromophores NDI-A and A-NDI-A has been investigated by electrochemical and femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS). The TAS study further showed the formation of charge-separated states in both the derivatives, which disappear on TBAF addition.