Fluorinated tetrathiafulvalenes with preserved electron-donor properties and segregated fluorous bilayer structures based on F...F nonbonded interactions

The synthesis of the fluorinated 4,5-(2,2'-difluoropropylenedithio)-1,3-dithiol-2-one heterocycle with DAST allows for the preparation of several symmetrical and unsymmetrical di- and tetrafluoro-substituted tetrathiafulvalenes with accessible oxidation potentials (0.6 < E1(1/2) < 0.85 V vs SCE) despite the presence of the electron-withdrawing CF2 groups. The flexibility of the fluorinated seven-membered ring identified from room-temperature NMR data has been thoroughly investigated by temperature-variable 1H and 19F NMR experiments, allowing for the identification of two independent folding processes, whose coalescence temperatures (Tc) and activation energies (deltaGdouble dagger) were determined (Tc = -15 degrees C, deltaGdouble dagger = 50.2 kJ mol(-1) and Tc = 47 degrees C, deltaGdouble dagger = 51.1 kJ mo(-1)). The analysis of the X-ray crystal structures of three of those fluorinated TTF demonstrates the efficiency of the nonbonded fluorine exclusion interactions for the stabilization of layered structures with fluorous bilayers, together with S...S van der Waals interactions and C-H...F hydrogen bonds.     

Self-organized ureido substituted diacetylenic organogel. Photopolymerization of one-dimensional supramolecular assemblies to give conjugated nanofibers

The introduction of the urea function as structure directing agent of diacetylene organogels (DA-OGs) has been achieved. Despite the urea function being one of the most frequently used structure directing agents for the formation of organogels, it has never been exploited in the fabrication and photopolymerization of DA-OGs. The self-association of ureas involving two hydrogen bonds is much stronger than that of urethanes or amides, and the resulting supramolecular assemblies are completely insoluble. In this context, 1,1'-(hexa-2,4-diyne-1,6-diyl)bis(3-(10-(triethoxysilyl)decyl)urea) 2 was synthesized. Compound 2 was soluble owing to the triethoxysilane function that we recently used in the fabrication of a silylated bis-urea-stilbene organogel. It formed an organogel, and its photopolymerization was studied in cyclohexane. The loss of the gel state and the formation of a red solution resulting from the polymerization were found to be the result of the constraints introduced by the urea function in close vicinity to the polymerizable function. To obtain an ureido substituted diacetylenic organogelator affording a blue highly conjugated polydiacetylene (PDA) without a sol-gel transition, a propylene spacer was introduced to move the urea function away from the polymerizable function (derivative 3). The thermochromism exhibited by the latter in the solid state was studied. Using the same setup and the same sample, UV-vis and FTIR spectra were simultaneously recorded as a function of the temperature to highlight a relation between color changes and urea association mode changes. The data showed that the reversible thermochromic transition must be associated with a reversible supramolecular modification and, conversely, that irreversible chromic transitions are the result of irreversible structural modifications. The chromic effects of the acidic hydrolysis-polycondensation of the trialkoxysilyl groups to form a siloxane network were studied on a thin film of 3. In the same way, solvent effects on the color of the organogels of 3 were also investigated. Correlations could be established between the different stimuli. These results provide a deeper understanding of the precise molecular mechanism of the blue to red transition and of the reversibility of the purple to red transition generally encountered in PDA thermochromism.     

Nanostructuration of phenylenevinylenediimide-bridged silsesquioxane: from electroluminescent molecular J-aggregates to photoresponsive polymeric H-aggregates

A new approach to control molecular aggregation of pi-conjugated chromophores in the solid state has been investigated. Our strategy was to use a modifiable bulky fragment which should induce a J-aggregation and offer the possibility to reach an H-aggregation upon its chemical modification by lateral slip of pi-conjugated molecules. The chosen fragment for that purpose was the hydrolyzable triethoxysilane function (Si(OEt)3). Our objective was to design and synthesize electroluminescent or solar cell hybrid organic-inorganic materials by the sol-gel process applied to a bifunctionalized silane. With this intention, the synthesis of the sol-gel processable phenylenevinylenediimide silsesquioxane 6 was accomplished and the study of spin-coated thin films of the pure silane precursor subjected or not to the sol-gel process has been carried out. Optical properties of 6 are consistent with the formation of J-aggregates in the solid state due to the steric hindrance introduced by the triethoxysilane units. Conversely, the spectroscopic behavior observed for the hybrid film 6F is attributed to an H-aggregation corresponding to a "card pack" orientation of the distyrylbenzeneimide chromophores in the compressed silicate network. Morevover, 6 and 6F also exhibited different electronic behaviors: light-emitting diodes exhibited high brightness with the native precursor 6 and almost no light output with the sol-gel processed silsesquioxane 6F. Photovoltaic cells showed the opposite behavior with low photocurrent generation in the precursor case and higher photocurrents with the sol-gel processed layers. These results provide a deeper understanding of the present self-assembly process that is strongly governed by the molecular packing of the oligosiloxane precursor.     

Synthesis and properties of highly fluorescent indolizino[3,4,5-ab]isoindoles

We report here the synthesis, X-ray structures, optical and electrochemical properties, fabrication of light-emitting devices, and density functional calculations for indolizino[3,4,5-ab]isoindole (INI) derivatives. Strongly luminescent heterocycles based on the INI unit were synthesized by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions between pyrido[2,1-a]isoindole (PIS) and acetylene or ethylene derivatives. They are indolizino[3,4,5-ab]isoindoles 2-9 and 14-15, benzo[1',2'-1,2]indolizino[3,4,5-ab]isoindoles 10, pyridazino[4',5':1,2]indolizino[3,4,5-ab]isoindoles 12-13, and 2,3-hydropyridazino[4',5':1,2]indolizino[3,4,5-ab]isoindole-1,4-dione 11. The relative luminescence quantum yield can be as high as 90%. Their reduction and oxidation potentials and high luminescence can make these heterocycles possible alternatives to tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum (Alq(3)). The brightness of the light-emitting device reached as high as 10(4) cd/m(2) and indolizino[3,4,5-ab]isoindole 3 emits beautifully blue light. The X-ray crystal structures of INI derivatives were obtained for the first time. The geometries obtained from X-ray data and density functional theory calculations shed more light on an interesting formally antiaromatic 16pi system, which is divided into 10pi and 6pi aromatic systems. We also report a relatively easy protonation of INI, which occurs at a carbon, rather than nitrogen atom.     

Alternated π‐conjugated polymers based on a 1,2‐diiminocyclohexane chiral unit for nitroaromatics sensing

The detection of 2,4‐dinitrotoluene (DNT) by fluorescence quenching of a new class of polyimines consisting in π‐conjugated segments regularly alternated with chiral C₂ symmetry units has been studied for solutions and thin films. Their photophysical properties and their sensitivity towards DNT detection has been compared to those of a small model molecule incorporating the same π‐conjugated segment. In solution, all the compounds exhibit the same photo‐physical properties and sensitivity towards DNT detection. In contrast, for thin films, better performances are observed in static conditions for this new class of polyimines compared to the small model molecule. It seems that C₂ symmetry units prevent from the stacking of the π‐conjugated segments and provide in addition to high fluorescence signal an improved diffusion of the analyte inside the films. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 4141–4149, 2009     

Sur la thermogravimétrie des précipités analytiques: Dosage du hafnium

A zirconium-free oxychloride of hafnium was prepared. The hafnium can be determined gravimetrically from the thermolysis curves of the precipitate. In particular, the neutral selenate, the p-hydroxyphenylarsinate and the mandelate were studied, and the curves obtained were compared to those plotted of the homologous zirconium derivatives.     

Stabilization of isolated mixed-valence trimers in a novel nickel dithiolene complex with CF2 substituents

The preparation of the novel paramagnetic nickel dithiolene complex Ni(F2pdt)2-* (F2pdt2-: 2,2-difluoro-1,3-propanediyldithioethylene-1,2-dithiolate) and its X-ray crystal structure as n-Bu4N+ salt are described. (n-Bu4N)[Ni(F2pdt)2] (2) crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, space group Pna2(1) with a = 21.379(4) A, b = 8.9702(18) A, and c = 18.527(4) A. The radical anions are isolated from each other by the bulky n-Bu4N+ cations and exhibit a Curie-type magnetic behavior. Two reversible redox waves corresponding to the redox couples Ni(F2pdt)2(2-/-*) and Ni(F2pdt)2(-*/0) are observed at -0.55 and 0.30 V vs SCE, illustrating the electron withdrawing effect of the CF2 substituents. As a consequence, (TTF)3(BF4)2 oxidation of the radical anion does not afford the neutral Ni(F2pdt)2(0) but a TTF salt formulated as [TTF](3)[Ni(F2pdt)2]3[CH2Cl2]. It crystallizes in the triclinic system, space group P1 with a = 12.330(3) A, b = 12.726(3) A, c =15.706(3) A, alpha = 91.10(3), beta = 110.78(3), and gamma = 116.01(3). Donor and acceptor moieties are organized into (TTF)3(2+) and [Ni(F2pdt)2]3(2-) trimers whose dicationic and dianionic charges have been inferred from the intramolecular bond lengths evolution and the singlet-triplet magnetic behavior. These trimers arrange orthogonally to each other into chess-board-like slabs, characterized by a segregation of the CF2 fragments and further stabilized by weak C-H.F interactions. Extended Hückel calculations show that only the nickel dithiolene complex trimer actually contributes to the magnetic susceptibility.     

Azido-Functionalized Fullerenes,Perylenediimide, Perylene,and Tetraphenylethylene as Crosslinkers for Applications in Materials Science

This study presents the synthesis and characterization of novel azido molecules with demonstrated crosslinking ability when used as additives in polymer/fullerene organic solar cells. These compounds derived from fullerenes C₆₀ and C₇₀, or dyes from perylenediimide, perylene and tetraphenylethylene frameworks, bearing a different number of azido groups, are of particular interest to stabilize and increase the thermal stability of the device morphology. In particular, the electro and photoactive dye derivatives allow the introduction of additional functionality with the possibility of extending the absorption domain of the photoactive layer. In addition, and more broadly, such azido crosslinkers could find applications in the field of optoelectronic devices as a simple and cheap strategy to improve the performance and long-term stability of organic solar cells, perovskites solar cells, or organic light-emitting diodes.     

Activation of C--H... Halogen (Cl, Br, and I) hydrogen bonds at the organic/inorganic interface in fluorinated tetrathiafulvalenes salts

The electrocrystallization of fluorinated bis(2,2'-difluoropropylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene (1) in the presence of linear (ICl2-, IBr2-, I2Br-) or cluster ([Mo6Cl14]2-) anions affords 1:1 and 2:1 cation radical salts such as [1][ICl2] and [1]2[Mo6Cl14].(CH3CN)2. In both salts, the 1*+ radical ion adopts a boat conformation and envelops the anion through C-H...Hal(anion) (Hal(anion) = Cl, Br, I) hydrogen bonds. This demonstrates the activating role of the neighboring electron-withdrawing CF2 moieties in the stabilization of bi- or trimolecular neutral entities. With smaller linear anions, fluorine segregation controls the solid-state associations of the bimolecular [1]*+[X] entities, and gives rise to layered materials with a limited overlap interaction between the open-shell organic cations and magnetic spin chain behavior. With the larger [Mo6Cl14]2 ions, a strong overlap interaction between radical cations gives rise to diamagnetic [1]2(2+) dimers, which alternate with the cluster anions to form hybrid organic/inorganic ...[1]2(2+)[Mo6Cl14]2... chains. This behavior is also observed in [2]2(2+)[Mo6Cl14]2-.(CH2Cl2)2, in which compound 2 is the unsymmetrically substituted (ethylenedithio)(2,2'-difluoropropylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene. On the other hand, the unsymmetrically substituted 2,2'-difluoropropylenedithiotetrathiafulvalene (3) affords a mixed-valence 4:1 salt with [Mo6Cl14]2, which is formulated as [3]4[Mo6Cl14].(CH3CN)2. This semiconducting salt is characterized by the coexistence of both the fluorine/fluorine segregation (with solvent inclusion) and the organic/inorganic segregation (with delocalized overlap interactions). Both Csp2-H...Cl and Csp3-H...Cl hydrogen bonds facilitate the stabilization of the organic/inorganic interface and the presence of conducting organic slabs.