The TI excited state of zinc(I1) tetraphenylchlorin, ZnTPC, has been studied by nanosecond time-resolved transient absorption (TA) and transient resonance Raman (TR3) spectroscopy. The TA difference spectrum shows an induced absorption at 450 nm that is assigned as arising from a 3 (~, n * ) state. The most striking feature of the 3(ZnTPC) TR3 spectrum is the significant frequency downshifts and strong intensity enhancements of the pyrrole half-ring stretch, v4, and of other pyrrole ring motions which together produce a broad band in the 1150-1300-~m-~ region. In addition, the enhancement of C,C, modes (~2 and V I I ) changes with their phasing between the SO and TI states. Weaker intensity enhancements, with no frequency shifts, are seen for the phenyl substituent ring mode, 0 4 and V I , and C,-phenyl stretch. These findings suggest that there is less electronic participation from the phenyl rings in the resonant triplet state, T,, for ZnTPC than for its parent metalloporphyrin, ZnTPP.The excited states of metalloporphyrins and metallochlorins play an integral role in biological energy and electron transfer, photodynamic therapy, and photocatalysi~.'-~ The lowest-lying excited states of metalloporphyrins have been studied by resonance Raman (RR)6a-C and resonance coherent anti-Stokes Raman'"-' (RCAR) spectroscopy in order to obtain detailed structural information on the excited states. In comparison to metalloporphyrins, far less is known about the excited state dynamics of metallochlorins. Although ground state absorption, resonance Raman, and infrared spectra of metallochlorins have been studied in some detail,8-'s there have been few reports dealing with their excited state spectra.Hydroporphyrins such as ZnTPC (TPC = tetraphenylchlorin) represent a distinct class of biologically relevant compounds.16-'8 The reduction of one pyrrole ring in the chlorin macrocycle lowers the symmetry from D4h to Czv, resulting in further separation of the highest occupied molecular orbitals, HOMOS, and a loss of degeneracy in the lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals, LUMOs. The electronic and structural changes alter the photophysical, redox, and ligand-binding properties of metallochlorins relative to those of the parent metalloporphyrins.18a-b However, it is not clear how the reduction of the pyrrole ring affects the excited state dynamics of metallochlorins relative to metalloporhyrins. In order to address this question, we have investigated the character of the lowest-lying excited state of ZnTPC by transient absorption and TR3 spectroscopy.ZnTPC was purchased from Midcentury Chemical Co. (Posen, IL). Its punty was checked via thin layer chromatography. ZnTpC-d20 and ZnTPC-d8 isotopomers were synthesized according to standard literature preparation^.'^-*' The ZnTPC complexes were purified on 1000-pm silica gel plates (Analtech), using a degassed 3:l mixture of THF and hexane as eluant. The purification was done in a glovebox under an inert atmosphere (Vacuum Atmosphere Model D1-00 1-SD equipped with an He-493 Dri-Train). ...