Supramolecular nanodevice based on helical encapsulation of photo/electroactive oligomers

Oligophenylenevinylene (OPV)-based A-D-A chain chromophores were synthesized by symmetrically linking electron- or energy-acceptor units through an alkyl spacer. Phto-induced thru-space electron/energy-transfer (eT/ET) was investigated in the presence and absence of amylose encapsulation with respect to the spacer length (D-A distance) and acceptor strength. Fluorescence quenching of the D-A chromophores suggests that with the helical encapsulation, eT/ET have a discrete D-A distance dependence while the free chromophores have mixed contributions, some from eT but largely from self-quenching due to aggregation and/or solvent deactivation.