The high-resolution solution structure and dynamics of a cofacially aligned porphyrin-phenylene-quinone compound have been determined using
1H NMR spectroscopy and simulated annealing calculations.Members of this class of
-stacked assemblies feature a 1,8-naphthyl pillaring motif that enforces sub van derWaals interplanar separations between juxtaposed
porphyryl, aromatic bridge, and quinonyl components ofthe donor-spacer-acceptor compound; this structural motif gives rise to a comprehensive set of structurallysignificant NOE signatures that can be used as constraints in quantitative structural calculations. Examinationof such data using ab initio simulated annealing analytical methods shows that 5-[8'-(4' '-[8' ''-(2' '' ',5' ''-benzoquinonyl)-1' ''-naphthyl]-1' '-phenyl)-1'-naphthyl]-10,20-diphenylporphyrin displays an unusual degree ofconformational homogeneity in the condensed phase, and represents a rare example where such an analysisdetermines unequivocally a single unique structure in solution.