Synthesis and electrochemical characteristics of a donor-acceptor porphyrinate rotor mounted on a naphthalocyaninato europium complex

► Synthesis of a novel polarizable heteroleptic donor-acceptor porphyrinate naphthalocyaninate europium double-decker complex. ► Cyclic voltammetry exhibits two oxidation and two reduction one-electron processes. ► X-ray of the donor-acceptor porphyrinate exhibits a specific head-to-tail arrangement of molecules in pairs. ► Promising candidate for controlled functional arrays and molecular mechanical devices.