Intra-molecular Electronic Energy Transfer in Mono- and Di-nuclear Zinc(II) Supramolecular Complexes

Intra-molecular electronic energy transfer processes have been investigated in systems containing two distinct fluorophores Fl 1 (absorbing photonic energy) and Fl 2 (coumarin 343, brought at a close distance through coordinative interactions, emitting). Fl 1 is covalently linked or incorporated in a polyamine platform containing one or two Zn II ions, while Fl 2 coordinates the Zn II centre(s) through a carboxylate group. Zn II has been chosen for its photophysical inactivity and quick reversibility of the interaction with Fl 2 .