The Quantum Dynamical Basis of a Classical Kinetic Scheme Describing Coherent and Incoherent Regimes of Radical Pair Recombination

In recent work from this group (J. H. Klein et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015, 137, 11011), the magnetic field dependent charge recombination kinetics in donor/Ir-complex/acceptor triads has been determined with outstanding accuracy and reproducibility. The field-dependent kinetics has been analyzed in terms of a classical reaction scheme including the field-independent rate parameters of singlet recombination (rate constant k S) and S/T0 mixing (rate constant k ST0) and the field-dependent rate constant k±(B) connecting central and outer Zeeman levels. In the present work, the extraction of k± from the experimental data is more precisely defined and the appearance of a “coherent” and “incoherent” regime of spin motion in a double log plot of k± vs. B is confirmed. The experimental decay curves have been reproduced by a full quantum dynamical model based on the stochastic Liouville equation, which was solved numerically, taking into account isotropic hyperfine coupling with five nuclear spins (1 N on donor radical, 4 H on acceptor radical) and anisotropic hyperfine coupling with the nitrogen nucleus at the donor radical. The results of the quantum calculations serve as a rigorous basis of interpreting the classical parameter k±. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the incoherent part of spin motion is essential for a full understanding of the charge recombination kinetics even in the “coherent” regime.