Analysis and controlling of the spin-chemistry of charge separated states in molecular dyads and triads

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Christoph Lambert
• Subject Area: Organic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation ; Physical Chemistry of Molecules, Liquids and Interfaces, Biophysical Chemistry
• Term: from 2020 to 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 439533873

The spin chemistry of radical pairs plays an important role in photosynthesis or the magnetic compass of birds but also in many optoelectronic devices such as OLEDs.The goal of this project is to investigate the dependence of the exchange interaction in molecular dyads and triads on molecular parameters. The exchange interaction is a central parameter which describes the nonclassical interaction (in contrast to the magnetic dipole-dipole interaction which has a classical analogue) of two spin bearing units. This interaction can be responsible for the time evolution of spin-correlated radical pairs. A deeper understanding of the exchange interaction thus is of utmost importance for the optimisation of optoelectronic processes. While the distance dependence of the exchange interaction follows an exponential law, not much is known about the dependence on molecular parameters such as the orientation of spin bearing units or the chemical and electronic nature of the bridge, which connects the spin centres. Therefore, these aspects are in focus of our project. By a deeper understanding of the spin chemistry we hope to be able to better control electron transfer processes in molecular systems.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants