A series of bichromophoric molecules was studied containing a 1,4-dimethoxynaphthalene donor (D) chromophore and a 1,1-dicyanoethylene acceptor (A) chromophore, interconnected by five different, rigid, saturated hydrocarbon bridges. The length of the bridges varies with increments of two sigma bonds from 4 to 12 to provide donor-acceptor separations up to 15 A. In all cases excitation of D is followed by rapid intramolecular electron transfer from D to A. Through-bond interaction involving sigma / pi interaction between the bridges and the chromophores is proposed to explain the very high rates of electron transfer. The observation of intramolecular charge transfer absorption and emission confirms the operation of such through-bond interaction.