Controlling the spatial distribution of electronic excitation in asymmetric D–A–D′ and symmetric D′–A–D–A–D′ electron donor–acceptor molecules†

Understanding how electronic energy is funnelled towards a specific location in a large conjugated molecule is of primary importance for the development of a site-specific photochemistry. To this end, we investigate here how electronic excitation redistributes spatially in a series of electron donor–acceptor (D–A) molecules containing two different donors, D and D′, and organised in both linear D–A–D′ and symmetric double-branch D′–A–D–A–D′ geometries. Using transient IR absorption spectroscopy to probe the alkyne spacers, we show that for both types of systems in non-polar solvents, excitation remains delocalised over the whole molecule. In polar media, charge-transfer (CT) exciton in the linear D–A–D′ systems localises rapidly at the end with the strongest donor. For the double-branch systems, excited-state symmetry breaking occurs and the CT exciton localises at the end of one of the two branches, even if the D′ terminal donor is not the strongest one. This unexpected behaviour is explained by considering that the energy of a CT state depends not only on the electron donating and withdrawing properties of the donor and acceptor constituents, but also on the solvation energy. This study demonstrates the possibility to control the location of CT excitons in large conjugated systems by varying the nature of the donors and acceptors, the distance between them as well as the environment.