Photoinduced electron transfer of platinum(ii) bipyridine diacetylides linked by triphenylamine- and naphthaleneimide-derivatives and their application to photoelectric conversion systems

The recently reported efficient charge-separated system based on bipyridine–diacetylide platinum(II) complexes was applied to photoelectric conversion systems herein, based on the design and synthesis of two triads: MTA–Pt–NDISAc (3, MTA: dimethoxytriphenylamine, Pt: platinum(II) complex, NDISAc: thioacetate derivative linked to naphthalenediimide) and MTA–Pt–MNICOOH (4, MNICOOH: naphthaleneimide-4-carboxylic acid). The charge-separated (CS) states of triads 3 and 5 (MOM-protected 4) were effectively generated by photo-induced electron transfer in both THF and toluene, although the rate of formation of the CS state from 5 was relatively slow in toluene. The lifetimes of these CS states were determined to be 730 ns in toluene and 61 ns (70%) and 170 ns (30%) as a double exponential decay in THF for 3, and 600 ns in toluene and 170 ns in THF for 5. The acetylthio group of triad 3 was exploited in the preparation of a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on a gold surface. Photocurrent was detected upon irradiation of an electrochemical cell comprising Au/3/Na ascorbate/Pt, which was ascribed to the platinum(II) complex based on the action spectrum. The carboxylic acid group of triad 4 facilitated adsorption on the TiO2 surface, and a dye-sensitized solar cell constructed based on FTO/TiO2/4/electrolyte (LiI–I2)/Pt exhibited a poor energy conversion efficiency (η = 0.20%) based on the incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency spectrum and the I–V curve. This poor efficiency may be derived from the bent molecular shape of 4, or may be due to a possible high energy barrier in the electron injection process through the adsorption site.