Coupling Magnetic Circular Dichroism and Spectroelectrochemistry as a Useful Tool to Study Redox Processes in Porphyrins, Phthalocyanines, and Their Analogues

Optical spectroscopy of functional dyes is the most used tool for organic, organometallic, and inorganic chromophores. This technical note discusses the coupling of magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy with a conventional spectroelectrochemical (SE) cell setup. The discussed approach allows for the study of in situ ligand and metal centered reduction and oxidation processes. Advantages and limitations of the proposed method will be discussed on the basis of transition-metal phthalocyanines and chlorophyll A chromophores. Reported methods can be used not only for SE-MCD experiments with organic chromophores but also to study redox processes in inorganic and organometallic complexes.