Assessing the Photoinduced Electron-Donating Behavior of Carbon Nanodots in Nanoconjugates.

Carbon nanodots (CNDs) undergo electron transfer in different scenarios. Previous studies have mainly focused on the electron-accepting features of CNDs in covalently linked donor-acceptor nanoconjugates. In view of this, we decided to carry out in this study the formation of covalently linked nanoconjugates that feature electron-donating pressure synthesized carbon nanodots () and electron-accepting 11,11,12,12-tetracyano-9,10-anthra--quinodimethane (): . The stability of the one-electron reduced form of TCAQ renders it the acceptor of choice. Detailed structural and electrochemical investigations allowed the characterization of . Furthermore, investigations regarding intramolecular interactions, by means of steady-state and pump-probe transient absorption spectroscopies, allowed detection and characterization of three excited state species, in general, and the charge-separated state, in particular.