A DNA-Based Light-Harvesting Antenna

摘要

An effective mechanism for the collection of light is an essential component of natural and artificial photosynthetic systems. After the absorption of sunlight by a light-harvesting complex (LHC), excitation energy transfer (EET) and charge separation occur. Various types of LHCs have been described as components of artificial photosynthetic and photovoltaic systems. As in their natural counterparts, a key aspect of LHCs is the proper arrangement of multiple light-absorbing molecules. DNA has been used as a framework for the generation of ordered assemblies of a large variety of chromophores. Extended multichromophore arrays have electronic properties that are attractive for use in optical and electronic devices, as well as for diagnostic applications. We have reported the DNA-assisted formation of π-stacked arrays of phenanthrene and pyrene building blocks. Herein, we describe the light-harvesting properties of such a DNA-organized, multichromophore array, in which light is absorbed by multiple π-stacked phenanthrenes and transferred to a phenanthrene-pyrene exciplex.