Zinc 5,10,15,20-meso-tetraferrocenylporphyrin as an efficient donor in a supramolecular fullerene C60 system

The supramolecular assembly containing an electron donor, zinc 5,10,15,20-meso-tetraferrocenylporphyrin, and a pyridine-substituted fulleropyrrolidine as an electron acceptor, has been investigated. A comparison of the photophysical properties of the separate components and of the assembled system revealed a photoinduced electron-transfer process from the porphyrin to the fullerene unit. Time-resolved spectroscopy, on the subpicosecond time scale, was performed to determine the rate of the forward and back electron-transfer reactions.