Synthesis and characterization of π-extended thienoacenes with up to 13 fused aromatic rings

π-Extended thienoacenes that comprise alternatively arranged anthracene and thieno[3,2-b]thiophene moieties and have 8 or 13 aromatic rings were synthesized. The delocalization of their HOMO and LUMO orbitals is over the entire molecules, and low-lying HOMO levels endow them good stability.     

Molecular complexes of p-benzoquinonechlorimides with aromatic π-donors

The charge transfer spectra of molecular complexes of chloro substituted p-benzoquinone(4)-chlorimides with aromatic π-donors in cyclohexane have been studied. The interaction of 2,6-dichloro p-benzoquinone with the same set of donors has also been studied. The spectroscopic and thermodynamic data indicate that the complexes are very weak in nature. A comparison of the absorption intensities and formation constants for these complexes shows that the contribution of charge transfer forces are not the only dominant stabilising factors.     

Synthesis of a π-extended TTF-perylenediimide donor-acceptor dyad

A donor-acceptor dyad containing perylenediimide as the electron acceptor and π-extended tetrathiafulvalene as electron donor has been successfully synthesized by means of a Wittig reaction. Cyclic voltammetry and absorption spectroscopy show that both electroactive units preserve their nature, whereas preliminar photophysical investigations show a strong fluorescence quenching.     

Highly emissive hand-shaped π-conjugated alkynylpyrenes: synthesis, structures, and photophysical properties

Three alkynyl-functionalised, hand-shaped, highly fluorescent and stable emitters, namely, 2-tert-butyl-4,5,7,9,10-pentakis(p-R-phenylethynyl)pyrenes have been successfully synthesized via a Pd/Cu-catalysed Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction. The chemical structures of the alkynylpyrenes were fully characterized by their (1)H/(13)C NMR spectra, mass spectroscopy and elemental analysis. Synchrotron single-crystal X-ray analysis revealed that there is a 1-D, slipped, face-to-face motif with off-set, head-to-tail stacked columns, which are clearly influenced by the single, bulky, tert-butyl group in the pyrene ring at the 2-position. Detailed studies on the photophysical properties in both solutions and thin films strongly indicate that they might be promising candidates for optoelectronic applications, such as organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) or as models for investigating the fluorescent structure-property relationship of the alkynyl-functionalised pyrene derivatives.     

Conformational and spectroscopic properties of π-extended, bipyrrole-fused rubyrin and sapphyrin derivatives

Two new expanded porphyrins, naphthorubyrin and naphthosapphyrin, were synthesized. The π-extended rubyrin was isolated and structurally characterized in its monoprotonated form. The sapphyrin congener undergoes pyrrole inversion as a function of the protonation state. These conformational effects are reflected in the spectroscopic features, including the excited singlet state lifetimes.     

Synthesis of π-extended porphyrins via intramolecular oxidative coupling

Porphyrins fused with other aromatic units at the meso- and β-positions have recently emerged as a hot topic of research. Their synthesis typically starts with preparation of precursors via either Suzuki coupling of a meso-bromoporphyrin or mixed-aldehyde condensation, and is followed by oxidative aromatic coupling, often using high-valent metal reagents (DDQ/Sc(OTf)(3) and Fe(iii) salts are among the most popular). In recent years, porphyrins were oxidatively coupled not only with well-known aromatic hydrocarbons such as naphthalene and pyrene, but also with more complex heterocyclic fragments, including indole, phenanthro[1,10,9,8-cdefg]carbazole and BODIPY. A subtle relationship exists between the output of intramolecular oxidative coupling and the nature of the second aromatic moiety, cation in the porphyrin cavity, oxidant, and type of remaining meso-substituent. The extension of the porphyrin chromophore leads to significant change in linear and non-linear optical properties. Very strong bathochromic shifts of absorption (λ(max) reaching 1.5-2 microns in some cases) and increases in two-photon absorption cross-sections are typical for these functional dyes.     

Physicochemical properties of π-π complexes of zinctetraphenylporphyrin with aromatic molecules

Features of the solvation of zinctetraphenylporphyrin (ZnTPP) in benzene, toluene,ortho-, meta-, andpara-xylenes were studied by a thermogravimetric method. The temperature ranges of the stability and the compositions of the corresponding specific - complexes were determined from the results of the thermogravimetric investigation of the crystallosolvates of the metalloporphyrin with the solvent molecules, and the energy characteristics of the intermolecular metalloporphyrin—solvent interactions were calculated.Institute of the Chemistry of Nonaqueous Solutions, Russian Academy of Sciences, 153018 Ivanovo. Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1545–1548, July, 1992.     

Photophysical and electrochemical properties of π-extended molecular 2,1,3-benzothiadiazoles

The reaction of 4,7-dibromo-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole with arylboronic acids (phenyl, 1-naphthyl, 4-methoxyphenyl, 4-chlorophenyl and 4-trifluoromethylphenyl) in the presence of catalytic amounts of a NCP-pincer palladacycle affords photoluminescent π-extended 4,7-diaryl-2,1,3-benzothiadiazoles 4a-e in high yields. These 4,7-diaryl-2,1,3-benzothiadiazoles exhibit high fluorescent quantum yields, high electron affinities and adequate band gap values for testing as OLEDs. The 4,7-bis-naphthyl-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole 4b presents two different lifetimes (bi-exponential decay) due to the presence of two atropisomers. The Sonogashira coupling reaction of 4,7-diethynyl-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole 6 with the corresponding halo-aryl compounds (iodobenzene, 1-bromonaphthalene, 4-iodoanisole, 4-bromo-N,N-dimethylaniline and 2-bromopyridine) afforded the photoluminescent π-extended 4,7-bis-alkynylaryl-2,1,3-benzothiadiazoles 7a-e, also in high yields. These 4,7-diethynyl-2,1,3-benzothiadiazoles also present high fluorescent quantum yields, high electron affinities and adequate band gap values for testing as OLEDs. The 4,7-disubstituted-2,1,3-benzothiadiazoles 4a-e and 7a-e exhibit different electrochemical behavior. The presence of two ethynyl spacers in 2,1,3-benzothiadiazoles 7a-e shifts the reduction potentials to less cathodic values and also results in two well-defined and distinct reduction processes.     

Highly sensitive phototransistor with crystalline microribbons from new π-extended pyrene derivative via solution-phase self-assembly

A new pyrene-cored π-conjugated molecule has been synthesized through Sonogashira coupling reaction. The single-crystalline microribbon-based FET exhibited the highest mobility of 0.7 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) (I(on)/I(off) > 10(6)). Single-crystalline microribbons were employed to operate in an organic phototransistor (OPT) under very low light intensity (I = 5.6 μW cm(-2)).     

The steric effect of aromatic pendant groups and electrical bistability in π-stacked polymers for memory devices

In order to investigate the steric effect of aromatic pendant groups and the electrical bistability in nonconjugated polymers potentially for memory device applications, two π-stacked polymers with different steric structures are synthesized and characterized. They exhibit two conductivity states and can be switched from an initial low-conductivity (OFF) state to a high-conductivity (ON) state. Additionally, they demonstrate nonvolatile write-once-read-many-times (WORM) memory behavior with an ON/OFF current ratio up to 10(4), and flash memory behavior with an ON/OFF current ratio of approximately 10(5). Both steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopies are used to examine the conformational change of the polymers responding to an applied external electrical voltage. The results provide useful information on different steric effects of pendant groups in polymer chains, resulting in various electrical behaviors. The possibility in realizing an "erasable" behavior through breaking π-stacked structures of pendant groups by a reversal of the electric field was also discussed on the basis of temperature-dependent fluorescence spectroscopy investigation. These results may thus offer a guideline for the design of practical polymer memory devices via tuning steric structure of π-stacked polymers.     

Spectroscopic and electrochemical sensing of lanthanides with π-extended chromophores incorporating ferrocenes and a coordinative end

In this study, we report the synthesis and characterization of three novel "push-pull" chromophores, in which multiple phenylenevinylene units are endcapped by ferrocene as donor units and malonate moieties as acceptor units. These chromophores have spectroscopic and electrochemical characteristics which consistently change according to the extension of the conjugated bridge, thus to the variation of the HOMO-LUMO band gap. The 1,3-dicarbonyl units, directly incorporated into the conjugated molecular structures, are able to coordinate Lewis acid-like cations, such as lanthanides, as confirmed by UV/Vis, (1)H NMR and cyclic voltammetry studies. The UV/Vis spectroscopic response upon complexation with Sc(3+) or Eu(3+) as the triflate salts is rather unselective and nonlinear in going from the least to the most π-extended chromophore. Binding studies in MeCN, analyzed via equilibrium-restricted factor analysis, give values between log K(a) = 1.21 and 3.07 and affirm a 1?:?1 stoichiometry of the host:guest complexes in all cases. On the other hand, cyclic voltammetry reveals a selectivity in the response to Sc(3+) coordination over Ln(3+) (Eu(3+), but also Lu(3+) and Er(3+) were tested) for the two shorter chromophores, whereas the ligand with the longest π-bridge is able to sense Er(3+) (ΔE(1/2) complexed/uncomplexed chromophore = 20 mV) selectively over the other lanthanides.     

Dianthra[2,3-b:2',3'-f]thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (DATT): synthesis, characterization, and FET characteristics of new π-extended heteroarene with eight fused aromatic rings

A novel highly π-extended heteroarene with eight fused aromatic rings, dianthra[2,3-b:2',3'-f]thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (DATT), was selectively synthesized via a newly developed synthetic strategy, fully characterized by means of single crystal X-ray structural analysis, and examined as an organic semiconductor in thin film transistors. Even with its highly extended acene-like π-system, DATT is a fairly air-stable compound with IP of 5.1 eV. Single crystal X-ray structural analysis revealed its planar molecular structure and the lamella-like layered structure with typical herringbone packing. Theoretical calculations of the solid state electronic structure based on the bulk single crystal structure suggest that DATT affords almost comparable intermolecular orbital couplings between HOMOs (t(HOMO)) with those of dinaphtho[2,3-b:2',3'-f]thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (DNTT), implying its good potential as an organic semiconductor for organic field-effect transistors. In fact, field-effect mobilities as high as 3.0 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) were achieved with vapor-processed DATT-based devices, which is comparable with that of DNTT-based devices. The molecular ordering of DATT in the thin film state, however, turned out to be not completely uniform; as elucidated by in-plane and out-of-plane XRD measurements, the face-on molecular orientation was contaminated in the edge-on orientation, the former of which is not optimal for efficient carrier transport and thus could limit the mobility.     

Polymerization by phase transfer catalysis—5. Polycarbonates from diphenols with aromatic side groups

Polycarbonates were synthesized from phosgene and three different diphenols under phase transfer conditions, using quarternary ammonium and phosphonium salts and dichloromethane as solvent. The polycarbonates were characterized by i.r. and ¹H-NMR; the molecular weights were estimated from inherent viscosity measurements. The influences of the catalysts and the structure of the diphenol were studied; both exert an important effect on the molecular weights. The hydrolysis of the polycarbonates was studied by the variation of the η_inh values, the polymer undergoes a hydrolytic process in the organic phase, influenced by the catalysts, according to their structure.     

Synthesis and photochemical reactivity of caged glutamates with a π-extended coumarin chromophore as a photolabile protecting group

‘Caging’ and ‘uncaging’ bioactive substrates are key techniques in studying a wide variety of biological processes. In the present study, two-types of novel caged glutamates with a two-photon absorption (TPA) core, that is, π-extended coumarin, were synthesized and their photochemical release of glutamate was analyzed. The high yields of glutamate (>92%) were observed in the photolysis of compounds 1 and 10, respectively.     

Clar's aromatic sextet and π-electron distribution in nanographene

Cut into pieces: The π-electron distribution in nanographene fragments isolated between oxidized graphene areas is investigated using scanning probe microscopy (see picture). The edge-shape-dependent localization and migration of the Clar sextet explains the observed π-state distributions and enables investigation of the electronic properties.     

Conduction modulation of π-stacked ethylbenzene wires on Si(100) with substituent groups

For the realization of molecular electronics, one essential goal is the ability to systematically fabricate molecular functional components in a well-controlled manner. Experimental techniques have been developed such that π-stacked ethylbenzene molecules can now be routinely induced to self-assemble on an H-terminated Si(100) surface at precise locations and along precise directions. Electron transport calculations predict that such molecular wires could indeed carry an electrical current, but the Si substrate may play a considerable role as a competing pathway for conducting electrons. In this work, we investigate the effect of placing substituent groups of varying electron donating or withdrawing strengths on the ethylbenzene molecules to determine how they would affect the transport properties of such molecular wires. The systems consist of a line of π-stacked ethylbenzene molecules covalently bonded to a Si substrate. The ethylbenzene line is bridging two Al electrodes to model current through the molecular stack. For our transport calculations, we employ a first-principles technique where density functional theory (DFT) is used within the non-equilibrium Green’s function formalism (NEGF). The calculated density of states suggest that substituent groups are an effective way to shift molecular states relative to the electronic states associated with the Si substrate. The electron transmission spectra obtained from the NEGF–DFT calculations reveal that the transport properties could also be extensively modulated by changing substituent groups. For certain molecules, it is possible to have a transmission peak at the Fermi level of the electrodes, corresponding to high conduction through the molecular wire with essentially no leakage into the Si substrate.     

Reaction of π-deficient aromatic heterocycles with ammonium polyhalides III. Halogenation of phenothiazin-5-oxide with benzyltriethylammonium polyhalides

Summary Halogenation of phenothiazin-5-oxide with benzyltriethylammonium polyhalides (BTEA) under mild conditions afforded chloro- and bromophenothiazines as well as a few unexpected products e.g. 1,3,7,9-tetrachloro-phenothiazin-5-oxide, 7,3-dibromo-3, 10-diphenothiazinyl tribromide, and 7,3-dichloro-3,10-diphenothiazinyl tetrachloroiodate. A new charge-transfer complex of phenothiazine-5-oxide with bromine is reported.

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Reaktion elektronenarmer aromatischer Heterocyclen mit Ammoniumpolyhalogenverbindungen, 3. Mitt. Halogenierung von Phenothiazin-5-oxid mit Benzyltriethylammoniumpolyhalogeniden

Zusammenfassung Halogenierung von Phenothiazin-5-oxid mit Benzyltriethylammoniumhalogeniden (BTEA) unter milden Bedingungen ergab neben Chlor- und Bromphenothiazinen einige unerwartete Reaktionsprodukte wir z.B. 1,3,7,9-Tetrachlorphenothiazin-5-oxid, 7,3-Dibrom-3,10-diphenothiazinylbromid und 7,3-Dichlor-3,10-diphenothiazinyltetrachloriodat. Außerdem wird über einencharge-transfer-Komplex von Phenothiazin-5-oxid mit Brom berichtet.

     

Novel self-dyed wholly aromatic polyamide–hydrazides covalently bonded with azo groups in their main chains

Thermal characteristics of several novel self-dyed wholly aromatic polyamide–hydrazides covalently bonded with azo groups in their main chains and containing o-hydroxy group as a substituent group in the aryl ring of the aminohydrazide part of the polymers have been investigated in nitrogen and in air atmospheres using differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analyses, infrared spectroscopy, and elemental analyses. The effect of introducing different predetermined proportions of para- and meta-phenylene moieties into the backbone chain of the polymers on their thermal characteristics has been evaluated. Azopolymers having different molecular masses of all para-oriented phenylene type units were also thermally characterized. These polymers were prepared by a low temperature solution polycondensation reaction of either 4-amino-3-hydroxybenzhydrazide or 3-amino-4-hydroxybenzhydrazide with an equimolar amount of either 4,4′-azodibenzoyl chloride (4,4′ADBC), 3,3′-azodibenzoyl chloride (3,3′ADBC), or mixtures of various molar ratios of 4,4′ADBC and 3,3′ADBC in anhydrous N,N-dimethyl acetamide containing 3 % m v^?1 LiCl as a solvent at ?10 °C. All the polymers have the same structural formula except the mode of linking phenylene units in the polymer chain. The content of para- and meta-phenylene moieties was varied within these polymers so that the changes in the latter were 10 mol% from polymer to polymer, starting from an overall content of 0–100 mol%. The results reveal that these polymers are characterized by high thermal stability and could be cyclodehydrated into linear aromatic polymers with alternating 1,3,4-oxadiazole and benzoxazole structural units within the same polymer approximately in the region of 200–480 °C, either in nitrogen or in air atmospheres by losing water from the hydrazide and o-hydroxybenzamide groups, respectively. Along with the cyclodehydration, the polymer may lose molecular nitrogen from the azo groups. This is not a true degradation, but rather a thermo-chemical transformation reaction of the evaluated polymers into the corresponding poly(1,3,4-oxadiazolyl-benzoxazoles). The resulting poly(1,3,4-oxadiazolyl-benzoxazoles) start to decompose in the temperature range above 330–560 °C, either in nitrogen or in air atmospheres without mass loss at a lower temperature. The thermal and thermo-oxidative stabilities of the polymers are affected by the nature and amount of arylene groups incorporated into their chains, being higher for polymers with greater content of para-oriented phenylene rings, which permits more interchain hydrogen bonds as a result of greater chain symmetry, packing efficiency, and rod-like structure. Increasing the content of para-oriented phenylene rings leads to a strong improvement in both the initial decomposition temperature as well as in the residual mass at a particular temperature. The stability of the polymers was found to be independent of their molecular masses. This confirms that high thermal stability is not a polymer property which would depends upon the length of its macromolecular chains, but rather upon its chemical structure in which all and every atomic group contributes by its own thermal stability to the macroscopic properties of the whole polymer.