Ultrafast Charge Recombination Dynamics in Ternary Electron Donor-Acceptor Complexes: (Benzene)₂-Tetracyanoethylene...

The charge-transfer (CT) state relaxation dynamics of the binary (1:1) and ternary (2:1) benzene/tetracyanoethylene (BZ/TCNE) complexes are reported. Steady-state and ultrafast time-resolved broadband fluorescence (TRFL) spectra of TCNE dissolved in a series of BZ/CCl₄ mixed solvents are measured to elucidate the spectroscopic properties of the BZ/TCNE complexes and their CT-state relaxation dynamics. Both steady-state and TRFL spectra exhibit marked BZ concentration dependences, which can be attributed to the formation of two types of 2:1 complexes in the ground and excited states. By combining with the density functional theory (DFT) calculations, it was concluded that the BZ concentration dependence of the absorption spectra is mainly due to the formation and excitation of the sandwich-type 2:1 ternary complexes, whereas the changes in fluorescence spectra at high BZ concentrations are due to the formation of the asymmetric-type 2:1 ternary complex CT₁ state. A unified mechanism involving both direct excitation and secondary formation of the 2:1 complexes CT states are proposed to account for the observations. The equilibrium charge recombination (CR) time constant of the 1:1 CT₁ state is determined to be ∼150 ps in CCl₄, whereas that of the 2:1 DDA-type CT₁ state becomes ∼70 ps in 10% BZ/CCl₄ and ∼34 ps in pure BZ. The CR rates and the CT₁-S₀ energy gap of these complexes in different solvents exhibit a correlation conforming to the Marcus inverted region. It is concluded that partial charge resonance occurring between the two adjacent BZs in the asymmetric-type 2:1 CT₁-state reduces the CR reaction exothermicity and increases the CR rate.