Exploiting Intermolecular Interactions between Alkyl-Functionalized Redox-Active Molecule Pairs to Enhance Interfacial Electron Transfer.

The strategies to enhance electron transfer rates between redox-active, light-harvesting molecules attached to semiconductor surfaces and redox mediators in solution by modifying molecular structure are not fully investigated yet. Therefore, the design of molecules with controlled electron transfer rates remains a challenge. The aims of this work are to quantify the effect of long alkyl chain substitution on the electron transfer from cobalt(II/III) tris(2,2'-bipyridine) to organic molecules containing carbazole and thiophene and to demonstrate that alkyl chains can be used to enhance electron transfer between donor-acceptor pairs.