Triplet quenching pathway control with molecular dyads enables the identification of a highly oxidizing annihilator class

Metal complex - arene dyads typically act as more potent triplet energy donors compared to their parent metal complexes, which is frequently exploited for increasing the efficiencies of energy transfer applications. Using unexplored dicationic phosphonium-bridged ladder stilbenes (P-X^(2+)) as quenchers, we exclusively observed photoinduced electron transfer photochemistry with commercial organic photosensitizers and photoactive metal complexes. In contrast, the corresponding pyrene dyads of …