Presidential Young Investigator/Photochemical and Photophysical Electron Transfer Studies

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This Presidential Young Investigator Award given in the Organic Dynamics Program provides support for the research of Dr. Matthew Zimmt at Brown University. Dr. Zimmt's research is concerned broadly with electron transfer both mechanistically and as as a probe of molecular conformation. Several photochemical and photophysical systems will be studied. Donor-spacer-acceptor molecules in which the donor and acceptor are rigidly held at differing angles to each other will be prepared in order to assess both the distance and orientational dependence of electron transfer. These studies may be germane to molecular photodiodes and electron transfer rates in helical polypeptides. A coherent optoacoustic method will be used to provide kinetic and calorimetric data for intermediates with lifetimes as short as 0.08-5 nanoseconds. Distinct donor and acceptor moieties will be placed at the termini of polymer chains and and energy transport, as measured by enhanced donor luminescence decay will be used to probe polymer conformation in solids under physical stress.