Photoactive corrole-based arrays

The collection and conversion of light energy into chemical energy is based on the use of molecular structures of various complexity, where the absorbed light energy is first converted into an excited state able to undergo energy or electron transfer processes and finally it is stored in a charge separated state as chemical (electrochemical) potential. A bio-mimetic approach has seen tetrapyrroles number among the most common components of these arrays. This tutorial review reports on the use of relatively new tetrapyrroles, corroles, in this field. A brief presentation of the electrochemical and photophysical properties of the corrole units relevant to the application is presented together with a discussion on the photo- and thermal stability issues, followed by an overview of the activity and improvements in the preparation of photo-active molecular arrays containing corroles.