Electrostatic Assembly of Dendrimer Electrolytes: Negatively and Positively Charged Dendrimer Porphyrins

Carboxylate and ammonium functionalities-32 of each-facilitate electrostatic interaction between oppositely charged dendrimer electrolytes and porphyrin cores, which leads in protic media to a supramolecular, fluorescence-active aggregate of two chromophores that communicate and have a predictable topology (see drawing on the right; A=acceptor, D=donor). In contrast to the complexation of linear polyelectrolytes, the contact area for the two dendrimer molecules is very limited, just as one would expect for an assembly of spherical molecules.