Electron transfer through rigid organic molecular wires enhanced by electronic and electron–vibration coupling
Sukegawa J, Schubert C, Zhu X, Tsuji H, Guldi DM, Nakamura E (2014)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2014
Journal
Book Volume: 6
Pages Range: 899--905
Volume: 6
Issue: 10
Journal Issue: 10
DOI: 10.1038/nchem.2026
Abstract
Electron transfer (ET) is a fundamental process in a wide range of biological systems, photovoltaics and molecular electronics. Therefore to understand the relationship between molecular structure and ET properties is of prime importance. For this purpose, photoinduced ET has been studied extensively using donor–bridge–acceptor molecules, in which π-conjugated molecular wires are employed as bridges. Here, we demonstrate that carbon-bridged oligo-p-phenylenevinylene (COPV), which is both rigid and flat, shows an 840-fold increase in the ET rate compared with the equivalent flexible molecular bridges. A 120-fold rate enhancement is explained in terms of enhanced electronic coupling between the electron donor and the electron acceptor because of effective conjugation through the COPVs. The remainder of the rate enhancement is explained by inelastic electron tunnelling through COPV caused by electron–vibration coupling, unprecedented for organic molecular wires in solution at room temperature. This type of nonlinear effect demonstrates the versatility and potential practical utility of COPVs in molecular device applications.
Authors with CRIS profile
Christina Schubert
Lehrstuhl für Physikalische Chemie I
Dirk Michael Guldi
Lehrstuhl für Physikalische Chemie I
Additional Organisation(s)
Involved external institutions
Japan (JP)How to cite
APA:
Sukegawa, J., Schubert, C., Zhu, X., Tsuji, H., Guldi, D.M., & Nakamura, E. (2014). Electron transfer through rigid organic molecular wires enhanced by electronic and electron–vibration coupling. Nature Chemistry, 6(10), 899--905. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nchem.2026
MLA:
Sukegawa, Junpei, et al. "Electron transfer through rigid organic molecular wires enhanced by electronic and electron–vibration coupling." Nature Chemistry 6.10 (2014): 899--905.
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