Compounds containing a viologen linked to a zinc porphyrin via methylene groups have been synthesized, and photoinduced intramolecular electron transfer between porphyrin and viologen was observed. The photoexcited singlet state of the porphyrin was quenched by the bonded viologen, the photoexcited triplet state was quenched, and the lifetime of the charge separated species was about 1-mu-s.