Intramolecular energy transfer in a tetra-coumarin perylene system: influence of solvent and bridging unit on electronic properties

The synthesis and characterisation of a novel coumarin donor–perylene bisimide acceptor light-harvesting system is reported, in which an energy-transfer efficiency of >99% is achieved. Comparison of the excited-state properties of the donor–acceptor system with model compounds revealed that although the photophysical properties of the perylene bisimide acceptor unit are affected considerably by the nature of the substituent at the imide positions and the solvent employed, through-bond interaction between the donor and acceptor units is negligible. Energy transfer in the present system can be described as occurring via a through-space energy-transfer mechanism. Careful consideration of the redox properties of the donor relative to the acceptor units allows for avoidance of potentially deleterious excited-state electron-transfer processes.