Tuning the HOMO–LUMO gap of donor-substituted benzothiazoles

A series of push–pull benzothiazoles were designed and synthesized by the Pd-catalyzed Sonogashira cross-coupling and [2+2] cycloaddition–retroelectrocyclization reactions. The photonic and electrochemical properties of these systems exhibit strong donor–acceptor interaction. The BTs 5–8 show strong intramolecular charge-transfer in the near-infrared (NIR) region. The absorption studies indicate systematic lowering of the optical HOMO–LUMO gap with increase in acceptor strength. The computational studies reveal that incorporation of strong acceptors TCNE and TCNQ results in substantial stabilization of the LUMO level compared to the HOMO level, leading to the low HOMO–LUMO gap and bathochromic shift of the absorption spectrum. The TCBD and DCNQ linked BTs 5–8 exhibit multi-step redox waves and improved thermal stability.     

Mono‐ and Bis(tetrathiafulvalene)‐1,3,5‐Triazines as Covalently Linked Donor–Acceptor Systems: Structural,Spectroscopic, and Theoretical Investigations

Reaction of 2,4,6‐trichloro‐1,3,5‐triazine with lithiated tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) in stoichiometric conditions, followed by treatment with sodium methanolate, provides mono‐ and bis(TTF)–triazines as new covalently linked (multi)donor–acceptor systems. Single‐crystal X‐ray analyses reveal planar structures for both compounds, with formation of peculiar segregated donor and acceptor stacks for the mono(TTF)–triazine compound, while mixed TTF–triazine stacks establish in the case of the bis(TTF) derivative. Cyclic voltammetry measurements show reversible oxidation of the TTF units, at rather low potential, with no splitting of the oxidation waves in the case of the dimeric TTF, whereas irreversible reduction of the triazine core is observed. Intramolecular charge transfer is experimentally evidenced through solution electronic absorption spectroscopy. Time‐dependent DFT calculations allow the assignment of the charge transfer band to singlet transitions from the HOMO of the donor(s) to the LUMO of the acceptor. Solution EPR measurements correlated with theoretical calculations were performed in order to characterize the oxidized species. In both cases the spectra show very stable radical species and contain a triplet of doublet pattern, in agreement with the coupling of the unpaired electron with the three TTF protons. The dication of the bis(TTF)–triazine is paramagnetic, but no spin–spin exchange interaction could be detected.     

Conduction mechanism of Aviram-Ratner rectifiers with single pyridine-sigma-C(60) oligomers

We present the electron transport of pyridyl aza[60]fulleroid oligomers, abbreviated as C(60)NPy, which is based on the donor-barrier-acceptor (D-sigma-A) architecture, at a single molecular scale using scanning tunneling microscopy. A rectifying effect is observed in the current-voltage characteristics. The theoretical calculation shows that the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) are well localized either on the Py moiety (donor) or on the C(60) moiety (acceptor), indicating the sigma-bridge decouples the LUMO and the HOMO of the donor and the acceptor, respectively. This structure accords well with the unimolecular rectifying model proposed by Aviram and Ratner [Chem. Phys. Lett. 1974, 29, 277]. The mechanism of the rectifying effect is understood by analyzing in detail the electron transport through energy levels of the donor and the acceptor of the C(60)NPy molecules. By directly comparing the experimental conductance peaks and the calculated density of states of the C(60)NPy, we find that the observed rectification is attributed to the asymmetric positioning of the LUMOs and the HOMOs of both sides of the acceptor and the donor of the C(60)NPy molecules with respect to the Fermi level of the electrodes. When a main voltage drop is over the molecule-electrode vacuum junction but a small fraction over the molecule itself, the shift of the energy levels between the donor and the acceptor will be small. This behavior deviates from the original proposal by Aviram and Ratner in which a large shift of the energy level is expected.     

Directly Linked Zinc Phthalocyanine–Perylenediimide Dyads and a Triad for Ultrafast Charge Separation

Directly linked to promote strong intramolecular interactions, donor–acceptor dyads and a donor–acceptor–donor triad featuring zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) as electron donor and perylenediimide (PDI) as electron acceptor have been synthesized and characterized. Owing to complementary absorption features of the entities, improved light absorption was witnessed in these conjugates. The optimized geometry and electronic structures showed the majority of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) on the ZnPc entity, whereas the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) was on the PDI entity, suggesting that the charge-separated states would be ZnPc ⁺ –PDI ^{. −}. The electrochemical and free-energy calculations suggested exothermic energy and/or electron transfer processes via the singlet states of PDI or ZnPc entities depending on the excitation wavelength of the laser used. The measured rates using femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy coupled with global analysis of transient data revealed ultrafast energy transfer from ¹PDI* to ZnPc followed by charge separation. However, when ZnPc was selectively excited, only electron transfer was witnessed wherein the time constants for forward and reverse electron transfer processes followed Marcus predictions. The absorption in a wide section of the solar spectrum and the ultrafast charge separation suggest the usefulness of these systems as good photosynthetic models.     

Synthesis and properties of π-conjugated donor–acceptor macrocycles derived from phenanthrylene building blocks

Phenanthrylene-ethynylidene macrocycles combining electron donor and electron acceptor subunits in their shape-persistent fully conjugated core were synthesized. The donor subunits consisted of two 9,10-dialkoxyphenanthrenes linked either with 1,2-ethynylidene or 2,5-thienylene bridge. The acceptors were 9,10-phenanthroquinone and dibenzoquinoxaline and dibenzophenazines derived from it. Solvatochromic photoluminescence from intramolecular-charge-transfer (ICT) excited state was observed mainly in non-polar solvents. In more polar solvents, the excited states favor non-radiative relaxation. DFT calculated HOMO/LUMO energies of the macrocycles correlate well with spectroscopic and electrochemical data. In the series of substituted dibenzophenazine acceptors a good correlation with Hammett substituent constants σ_p^– was found.     

An oligomer study on small band gap polymers

Small band gap polymers may increase the energy conversion efficiency of polymer solar cells by increased absorption of sunlight. Here we present a combined experimental and theoretical study on the optical and electrochemical properties of a series of well-defined, lengthy, small band gap oligo(5,7-bis(thiophen-2-yl)thieno[3,4-b]pyrazine)s ( E g = 1.50 eV) having alternating donor and acceptor units. The optical absorptions of the ground state, triplet excited state, radical cation, and dication are identified and found to shift to lower energy with increasing chain length. The reduction of the band gap in these alternating small band gap oligomers mainly results from an increase of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level. The S 1-T 1 singlet-triplet splitting is reduced from approximately 0.9 eV from the trimeric monomer to -0.5 eV for the pentamer. This significant exchange energy is consistent with the fact that both the HOMO and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) remain distributed over virtually all units, rather than being localized on the D and A units.     

Magnetic euripi in corannulene

Ab initio current densities induced by an external magnetic field have been computed for corannulene dianion, dication, and tetraanion. The pi-ring currents are found to be large with respect to benzene and to undergo remarkable changes in response to variations in the oxidation state. According to the results obtained here, the three corannulene ions plus the neutral species constitute a very special set that spans all of the possible patterns of rim and hub circulations: diatropic/hub-paratropic/rim (the dianion), paratropic/hub-paratropic/rim (the dication, assuming conformationally averaged current density), diatropic/hub-diatropic/rim (the tetraanion), and paratropic/hub-diatropic/rim (the neutral, as already reported by other authors). Orbital contributions and their breakdown into explicit contributions from virtual excitations have been analyzed. It is shown that the dianion and dication are both (2p) systems characterized by a single highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO)-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) rotationally allowed transition. For the dianion, this transition is responsible not only for the outer paratropic circulation but also for the inner diatropic circulation, a behavior that requires an extension of the few electron model based on orbital contributions to be fully rationalized. For the dication, the HOMO-LUMO transition provides a paratropic circulation localized on one indene subunit. However, because of the fast exchange of conformers, it is sensible to calculate an averaged current density field, which is characterized by con-rotating paratropic inner and outer ring currents. For the tetraanion, the calculated current pattern is in agreement with a previous indication, while the orbital analysis reveals that the HOMO and the HOMO - 1 contribute to both inner and outer circulations. Despite the small 6-31G** basis set employed to calculate current densities and magnetic properties, a satisfactory agreement between computed and available experimental (1)H and (13)C chemical shifts is found, providing a firm basis for the above conclusions. Remarkably, the "diamagnetic" corannulene dianion observed in NMR at low temperature is predicted to be a paramagnetic closed-shell species.     

(Dibenzoylmethanato)boron Difluoride Derivatives Containing Triphenylamine Moieties: A New Type of Electron‐Donor/π‐Acceptor System for Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

(Dibenzoylmethanato)boron difluoride derivatives containing triphenylamine moieties were synthesized as a new type of electron‐donor/π‐acceptor system. These new compounds exhibited long‐wavelength absorptions in the UV/Vis spectra, and reversible oxidation and reduction waves in cyclic voltammetry experiments. Their amphoteric redox properties are based on their resonance hybrid forms, in which a positive charge is delocalized on the triphenylamine moieties and a negative charge is localized on the boron atoms. Molecular orbital (MO) calculations indicate that their HOMO and LUMO energies vary with the number of phenylene rings connected to the difluoroboron‐chelating ring. This is useful for optimizing the HOMO and LUMO levels to an iodine redox (I^?/I₃^?) potential and a titanium dioxide conduction band, respectively. Dye‐sensitized solar cells fabricated by using these compounds as dye sensitizers exhibited solar‐to‐electric power conversion efficiencies of 2.7–4.4 % under AM 1.5 solar light.     

Synthesis and radical coupling of pyridine-bridged pi-extended tetrathiafulvalene (TTF)-type donors and push-pull analogues

A new family of pi-extended TTF analogues (3a-c) and D-pi-A chromophores (5a-c), in which the electroactive units (1,3-dithiole rings and 2,2-dicyanovinyl groups) are connected through a pyridine bridge with a meta substitution pattern, is reported. The redox behavior of these compounds has been investigated by cyclic voltammetry and theoretical calculations performed at the B3P86/6-31G** level. Unlike many pi-extended TTF derivatives, the 1,3-dithiole rings in compounds 3a-c do not behave independently and two oxidation processes are observed with an anodic separation ranging from 50 to 150 mV. Calculations show that electrons are equally extracted from both dithiole rings. A biradical structure is predicted for the dication state due to the near-degeneracy of the HOMO and HOMO - 1 orbitals. The presence of both donor (D) and acceptor (A) fragments in conjugates results in irreversible oxidation and reduction processes associated with the 1,3-dithiole ring and with the 2,2-dicyanovinyl moiety, respectively. An electrochemical-chemical-electrochemical (ECE) process takes place for all the compounds reported. The chemical process implies the dimerization of the radical cation for compounds 5 and the oligomerization of the biradical dication for compounds 3. The ECE process therefore generates new neutral dimeric (5) or oligomeric (3) species that incorporate the TTF vinylogue core.     

Introducing a new triazoloquinoxaline‐based fluorene copolymer for organic photovoltaics: Synthesis,characterization, and photovoltaic properties

A new donor‐acceptor copolymer consisting of triazoloquinoxaline and 9,9‐dialkylfluorene units on the main chain has been synthesized, characterized and evaluated as donor material in bulk heterojunction solar cells using PC₆₁BM as an acceptor. The resulting polymer PTQF showed good thermal stability and solubility in common organic solvents. Cyclic Voltammetry measurements showed that the PTQF has HOMO–LUMO energy levels of ?5.13 and ?3.62 eV, respectively. DFT calculations revealed that the HOMO is delocalized all over the thiophene and fluorene units and the LUMO is localized mainly on the triazole and pyrazine units. PTQF absorbs broadly in the visible region and exhibits a bandgap of 1.4 eV. Photovoltaic devices exhibited 1.7% efficiency for 1:2 PTQF:PC₆₁BM blend ratio using Ca/Ag electrodes. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Tetrathiafulvalene‐Based Mixed‐Valence Acceptor–Donor–Acceptor Triads: A Joint Theoretical and Experimental Approach

This work presents a joint theoretical and experimental characterisation of the structural and electronic properties of two tetrathiafulvalene (TTF)‐based acceptor–donor–acceptor triads (BQ–TTF–BQ and BTCNQ–TTF—BTCNQ; BQ is naphthoquinone and BTCNQ is benzotetracyano‐p‐quinodimethane) in their neutral and reduced states. The study is performed with the use of electrochemical, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and UV/Vis/NIR spectroelectrochemical techniques guided by quantum‐chemical calculations. Emphasis is placed on the mixed‐valence properties of both triads in their radical anion states. The electrochemical and EPR results reveal that both BQ–TTF–BQ and BTCNQ–TTF–BTCNQ triads in their radical anion states behave as class‐II mixed‐valence compounds with significant electronic communication between the acceptor moieties. Density functional theory calculations (BLYP35/cc‐pVTZ), taking into account the solvent effects, predict charge‐localised species (BQ ^{. ?}–TTF–BQ and BTCNQ ^{. ?}–TTF–BTCNQ) as the most stable structures for the radical anion states of both triads. A stronger localisation is found both experimentally and theoretically for the BTCNQ–TTF–BTCNQ anion, in accordance with the more electron‐withdrawing character of the BTCNQ acceptor. CASSCF/CASPT2 calculations suggest that the low‐energy, broad absorption bands observed experimentally for the BQ–TTF–BQ and BTCNQ–TTF–BTCNQ radical anions are associated with the intervalence charge transfer (IV‐CT) electronic transition and two nearby donor‐to‐acceptor CT excitations. The study highlights the molecular efficiency of the electron‐donor TTF unit as a molecular wire connecting two acceptor redox centres.     

Benzodipyrrole‐based Donor–Acceptor‐type Boron Complexes as Tunable Near‐infrared‐Absorbing Materials

Benzodipyrrole‐based donor–acceptor boron complexes were designed and synthesized as near‐infrared‐absorbing materials. The electron‐rich organic framework combined with the Lewis acidic boron co‐ordination enabled us to tune the LUMO energy level and the HOMO–LUMO gap (i.e.,the absorption wavelength) by changing the organic acceptor units, the number of boron atoms, and the substituents on the boron atoms.     

Low band‐gap modulation of isoindigo‐based copolymers toward high open‐circuit voltage of polymer solar cells

Designing low band‐gap‐conjugated polymers coupled with low HOMO levels attracts great attention in the field of polymer solar cells (PSCs). By using donor–acceptor (D‐A) copolymerization strategy, we designed and synthesized a series of low band‐gap copolymers with deep HOMO levels via introducing an isoindigo (IID) acceptor unit in the copolymers with the donor unit of fluorene (F) (PIID‐F), carbazole (Cz) (PIID‐Cz), thiophene (Th) (PIID‐Th), dithiophene (DTh) (PIID‐DTh), or dithienosilole (DTS) (PIID‐DTS). The HOMO level of the copolymers, measured by electrochemical cyclic voltammetry, varies from ?5.3 eV to ?5.8 eV, depending on different donor units in the copolymers. However, the LUMO levels of all the copolymers are fixed at about ?3.6 eV, which is mainly determined by IID acceptor unit due to its strong electron‐withdrawing ability. The new results will provide an effect help in designing IID based molecular structures. Among the copolymers, PIID‐DTS has a low band gap of 1.58 eV and possesses a low‐lying HOMO energy level of ?5.33 eV. The PSCs based on PIID‐DTS as donor and PC₇₀BM as acceptor exhibited a high open‐circuit voltage (V_oc) of 0.93 V and a primary power conversion efficiency of 2.45%. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013 , 51, 3477–3485     

Determination of quasi-Fermi levels across illuminated organic donor/acceptor heterojunctions by Kelvin probe force microscopy

Using Kelvin probe force microscopy (KFM), we have measured the electrochemical potentials across indium tin oxide/organic and donor/acceptor heterojunctions in the dark and under illumination with white light. We have found that the photovoltage generated across these heterojunctions is strongly correlated with the difference between the respective HOMO and LUMO levels of the donor and acceptor and also very closely approximates measured open-circuit voltages in completed solar cells. These results imply that KFM tracks the Fermi level positions within the donor and acceptor layers under photoexcitation. Overall, these results demonstrate the utility of KFM for understanding potential profiles across active layers in planar-heterojunction organic solar cells.     

Virtual orbitals

It is shown that the conventional concepts based on the use of the HOMO and LUMO are founded on very questionable assumptions. In particular, it is shown both theoretically and computationally that the LUMO of almost all neutral atoms and molecules is a continuum function with energy zero. The LUMO of any SCF calculation is an artifact of the basis-expansion method. A proposal is made for the identification of the pair donor and pair acceptor orbitals which play the true role of the HOMO and LUMO. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and molecular orbital calculations of metal-free tetraazaporphyrin, -chlorin, -bacteriochlorin, and -isobacteriochlorin

Metal-free tetraazachlorin (TAC), -bacteriochlorin (TAB), and -isobacteriochlorin (TAiB) were characterized by electronic absorption, magnetic circular dichroism (MCD), fluorescence, and time-resolved ESR (TR-ESR) spectroscopy, and by cyclic voltammetry. The results are compared with those of metal-free tetraazaporphyrin (TAP). The potential difference DeltaE between the first oxidation and reduction couples decreases in the order TAP>TAiB>TAC>TAB. The splitting of both the Q and Soret bands decreases in the order TAB>TAC>TAP>TAiB. Corresponding to the split absorption bands, MCD spectra show a minus-to-plus pattern with increasing energy in both the Q and Soret regions, which suggests that the energy difference between the HOMO and second HOMO is larger than that between the LUMO and second LUMO. These spectroscopic properties and redox potentials were reproduced by molecular orbital calculations using the ZINDO/S Hamiltonian. The fluorescence quantum yields of the reduced species are much smaller than that of TAP. The zero-field splitting (ZFS) parameters D and E of the excited triplet states (T1) of these species decrease and increase, respectively, on going from TAP to TAC and further to TAB. The D and E values of TAiB are larger than those of the other species. The results are supported by the absence of interaction between the spin over reduced pyrrole moieties of the HOMO and over the LUMO, and by calculations of ZFS under a half-point-charge approximation.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Donor–π‐Acceptor‐Based Porphyrin Sensitizers: Potential Application of Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

New porphyrin sensitizers based on donor–π‐acceptor (D‐π‐A) approach have been designed, synthesized, characterized by various spectroscopic techniques and their photovoltaic properties explored. N,N′‐Diphenylamine acts as donor, the porphyrin is the π‐spacer, and either carboxylic acid or cyanoacryclic acid acts as acceptor. All compounds were characterized by using ¹H NMR spectroscopy, ESI‐MS, UV–visible emission spectroscopies as well as electrochemical methods. The presence of aromatic groups between porphyrin π‐plane and acceptor group push the absorption of both Soret and Q‐bands of porphyrin towards the red region. The electrochemical properties suggests that LUMO of these sensitizers above the TiO₂ conduction band. Finally, the device was fabricated using liquid redox electrolyte (I^?/I₃^?) and its efficiency was compared with that of a leading sensitizer.     

Charge‐Transfer Interactions in Tris‐Donor–Tris‐Acceptor Hexaarylbenzene Redox Chromophores

Symmetric‐ and asymmetric hexaarylbenzenes (HABs), each substituted with three electron‐donor triarylamine redox centers and three electron‐acceptor triarylborane redox centers, were synthesized by cobalt‐catalyzed cyclotrimerization, thereby forming compounds with six‐ and four donor–acceptor interactions, respectively. The electrochemical‐ and photophysical properties of these systems were investigated by cyclovoltammetry (CV), as well as by absorption‐ and fluorescence spectroscopy, and compared to a HAB that only contained one neighboring donor–acceptor pair. CV measurements of the asymmetric HAB show three oxidation peaks and three reduction peaks, whose peak‐separation is greatly influenced by the conducting salt, owing to ion‐pairing and shielding effects. Consequently, the peak‐separations cannot be interpreted in terms of the electronic couplings in the generated mixed‐valence species. Transient‐absorption spectra, fluorescence‐solvatochromism, and absorption spectra show that charge‐transfer states from the amine‐ to the boron centers are generated after optical excitation. The electronic donor–acceptor interactions are weak because the charge transfer has to occur predominantly through space. Moreover, the excitation energy of the localized excited charge‐transfer states can be redistributed between the aryl substituents of these multidimensional chromophores within the fluorescence lifetime (about 60 ns). This result was confirmed by steady‐state fluorescence‐anisotropy measurements, which further indicated symmetry‐breaking in the superficially symmetric HAB. Adding fluoride ions causes the boron centers to lose their accepting ability owing to complexation. Consequently, the charge‐transfer character in the donor–acceptor chromophores vanishes, as observed in both the absorption‐ and fluorescence spectra. However, the ability of the boron center as a fluoride sensor is strongly influenced by the moisture content of the solvent, possibly owing to the formation of hydrogen‐bonding interactions between water molecules and the fluoride anions.     

A Triphenylamine with Two Phenoxy Radicals Having Unusual Bonding Patterns and a Closed‐Shell Electronic State

Reported herein is the structure and the electronic properties of a novel triphenylamine derivative having two phenoxy radicals appended to the amino nitrogen atom. X‐ray single crystal analysis and the magnetic resonance measurements demonstrates the unexpected closed‐shell electronic structure, even at room temperature, of the molecule and two unusual C? N bonds with multiple‐bond character. The theoretical calculations support the experimentally determined molecular geometry with the closed‐shell electronic structure, and predicted a small HOMO–LUMO gap originating from the nonbonding character of the HOMO. The optical and electrochemical measurements show that the molecule has a remarkably small HOMO–LUMO gap compared with its triphenylamine precursor.     

A π‐Stacked Porphyrin–Fullerene Electron Donor–Acceptor Conjugate That Features a Surprising Frozen Geometry

A “frozen” electron donor–acceptor array that bears porphyrin and fullerene units covalently linked through the ortho position of a phenyl ring and the nitrogen of a pyrrolidine ring, respectively, is reported. Electrochemical and photophysical features suggest that the chosen linkage supports both through‐space and through‐bond interactions. In particular, it has been found that the porphyrin singlet excited state decays within a few picoseconds by means of a photoinduced electron transfer to give the rapid formation of a long‐lived charge‐separated state. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show HOMO and LUMO to be localized on the electron‐donating porphyrin and the electron‐accepting fullerene moiety, respectively, at this level of theory. More specifically, semiempirical molecular orbital (MO) configuration interaction (CI) and unrestricted natural orbital (UNO)‐CI methods shed light on the nature of the charge‐transfer states and emphasize the importance of the close proximity of donor and acceptor for effective electron transfer.