The role of counter-anions in the kinetics and chirality of porphyrin J-aggregates

Kinetics of the growth of TPPS4 porphyrin J-aggregates slow down in the order H2SO4 4 HCl 4 HBr 4 HNO3 4 HClO4, in agreement with the Hofmeister series. The rate constants and the extent of chirality correlate with the structure-making or breaking abilities of the different anions with respect to the hydrogen bonding network of the solvent.