Corroles are aromatic compounds with structures similar to those of porphyrins. Similar to porphyrins, corroles demonstrate exceptional photophysical properties in regards to their absorbance of light and fluorescence. Corroles exist in two separate tautomeric states causing them to exhibit noticeably different photophysical and electrochemical behaviors in different solvents. In addition, a proper understanding of corroles interaction with electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups and how they affect corroles light absorbing emitting capabilities are necessary to develop potential uses of corrole in artificial photosynthetic devices, petroleum explorations, cancer diagnosis, and tumor treatment. We investigated the photophysical, electrochemical, and spectroelectrochemical properties of substituted-free-base triphenyl corrole (Xn-H3TPCor). The long-term goal is to fully understand how electron-withdrawing (EW) and electron-donating (ED) groups attached to Xn-H3TPCor control the tautomerization and the photophysical, electrochemical, and spectroelectrochemical properties of corrole molecules. We characterized their ability to absorb and emit light in various solvents and in a multitude of concentrations, and the role of solvent in the fluorescence quantum yield. UV-Visible data show that when strong EW groups are used, the photophysical properties are similar to those obtained for the unsubstituted oxidized species. However, no significant effects were observed when the ED group was used. The electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical data show more complex profiles, compared to those obtained for unsubstituted corrole molecules. Many of the same properties that we found for unsubstituted free-base corrole and the substituted corroles have similar trends in regards to the solvent effect in the tautomerization of corrole. These results will help us to better understand how functional groups can affect the application of corroles in artificial light harvesting complexes.

Effect of electron-donating and withdrawing groups in the photophysical, electrochemical, and spectroelectrochemical properties of corrole tautomers

2019 Spring National Meeting

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