The synthesis and structure of a novel donor-acceptor complex comprised of
a photosensitising ruthenium polypyridyl moiety covalently linked to a beta
-cyclodextrin unit bearing a hydroxy-bridged manganese(iii) dimer 1 is des
cribed; the dimanganese complex undergoes a photoinduced electron transfer
and may represent an attractive model system for elucidating aspects of pho
tosystem II.