The photophysical properties of metal complexes of fluorescein–porphyrin dyads

Abstract Zn, Cu and Ni complexes of fluorescein–porphyrin dyads were synthesized and characterized by ESI-MS and their photophysical properties were studied. Each of the complexes possessed Q band degeneration in their absorption spectra. The Zn complex displayed a blue shifted fluorescence emission and shorter fluorescence lifetime compared with the parent fluorescein–porphyrin dyads, whilst the Cu and Ni complexes were not fluorescent. These findings imply that different electron transfer processes are occurring in the complexes.