Mimicking the antenna-electron transfer properties of photosynthesis

A molecular assembly based on derivatized polystyrene is described, which m imics both the light-harvesting and energy-conversion steps of photosynthes is, The system is unique in that the two key parts of a photosynthetic syst em are incorporated in a functional assembly constructed from polypyridine complexes of Ru-II. This system is truly artificial, as none of the compone nts used in construction of the assembly are present in a natural photosynt hetic system. Quantitative evaluation of the energy and electron transfer d ynamics after transient irradiation by visible light offers important insig hts into the mechanisms of energy transport and electron transfer that lead to photosynthetic light-to-chemical energy conversion.