Synthesis and electrochemical properties of peripheral carbazole functional Ter(9,9-spirobifluorene)s

A facile approach for synthesis of spirobifluorene trimers with peripheral carbazole functional groups by utilizing Suzuki coupling as the key reaction has been developed. These novel compounds exhibit blue emission with high quantum yields in solution and thin films, and excellent spectral stability upon photoirradiation and annealing in air. By the introduction of carbazole groups, the oxidation potentials of spirobifluorene trimers S TCPC-6 and STCPC-4 were significantly lower than that of model compound STHPH without peripheral carbazole groups, which reflect that the title compounds process higher HOMO energy level and better hole-injection ability. Highly luminescent films were obtained by electrochemical coupling between carbazole units. Pure blue-emission single-layer LEDs based on electrochemical deposition films as light emitting layers were achieved.