HeteroCop

Concerted research of 4 research groups involving chemical synthesis, laser spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and theory will be aimed at demonstrating the suitability of new heteroleptic copper(I) complexes for solar energy conversion schemes. While the area of photochemistry is dominated by ruthenium(II) polypyridine complexes, little attention has been paid to copper(I) complexes. One particularly significant driving force of this program lies in the lower cost, higher abundance and lower toxicity of copper compared to ruthenium. New heteroleptic copper complexes will be prepared and investigated with respect to advancing two areas: (i) novel photo- and electro- active rod-like molecular arrays of the general type Donor-Sensitizer-Acceptor in view of long range photoinduced charge separation and (ii) photo-electrochemical devices based on the sensitization of p-type semiconductor (NiO). Synthesis, characterizations and theoretical research will be twinned aiming at a rational design of the complexes in view of the envisioned function. The expected results are the synthesis and the discovery of new copper(I) complexes with useful photophysical properties, which will in turn lead to new breakthroughs in the rational design of copper complexes for long-range photoinduced charge separation and for photoelectrochemical devices, where traditional ruthenium complexes are used. All this will be of fundamental importance for establishing new materials for solar energy convsersion.