Thesis (M.S.)--Worcester Polytechnic Institute. / Keywords: Triplet; rigidly linked polychromophores; intramolecular energy transfer. Includes bibliographical references (p. 83-87).

Intramolecular energy transfer is reviewed from several perspectives, such as the generally accepted mechanism and molecular structure dependence. Some unique molecules with bichromophores or trichromophores linked by rigid bridges were designed to serve as models for studying the intramolecular triplet-triplet energy transfer. Bichromophoric molecules containing an anthracene donor and phenanthrene or diphenylpolyene acceptors linked by linearly fused norbornane units were synthesized. Approaches to the analogous compounds with anthracene as the donor and benzophenone or p-terphenyl as acceptors are presented. Synthetic approaches to cis, exo-1, 4-dihydro-1, 4-methanotriphenylene, a precursor to the polynorbornyl-linked polychromophore, and trichromophoric compounds linked by adamantane spacers were explored.