1,6-Disubstituted perylene bisimides: concise synthesis and characterization as near-infrared fluorescent dyes

Bay-Substitution of Perylene Bisimides with Bidentate Nucleophiles: The Case of Aryloxide Anions

In this study, we delve into the regioselectivity of nucleophilic reactions involving brominated perylene bisimides (PBIs) and various bidentate aryloxide anions, previously associated with an SRN1 mechanism. We present herein a new perspective, suggesting that a single-electron-transfer aromatic nucleophilic substitution (SeT-SNAr) mechanism is a more plausible scenario. Our study reveals the favorable impact of photostimulation on reaction yields, making our method a convenient approach for accessing O-arylated PBIs.

Regiochemically Pure 1,6-Ditriflato-Perylene Diimide: Preparation and Transformation

Preparation of regioisomerically pure 1,6-disubstituted perylene diimide (PDI) is not a trivial task owing to the lack of facile synthetic and separation methodologies for the precursors. Herein, we present a simple synthesis for 1,6-ditriflato-PDI (1,6-diOTf-PDI) using 1,6,9,10-tetrabromo-perylene monoimide 1 as the starting material. The selective methoxylation of 1 at the 1,6-position is the key step. Based on a four-step sequence of selective methoxylation, domino carbonylative amidation, demethylation, and triflation, 1,6-diOTf-PDI can be obtained in a satisfactory yield. Moreover, as a building block, 1,6-diOTf-PDIa can readily undergo Suzuki and Sonogashira cross-coupling reactions.

Review on application of perylene diimide (PDI)-based materials in environment: Pollutant detection and degradation

Environment pollution is getting serious and various poisonous contaminants with chemical durability, biotoxicity and bioaccumulation have been widespreadly discovered in municipal wastewaters and surface water. The detection and removal of pollutants show great significance for the protection of human health and other organisms. Due to its distinctive physical and chemical properties, perylene diimide (PDI) has received widespread attention from different research fields, especially in the area of environment. In this review, a comprehensive summary of the development of PDI-based materials in fluorescence detection and advanced oxidation technology for environment was introduced. Firstly, we chiefly presented the recent progress about the synthesis of PDI and PDI-based nanomaterials. Then, their application in fluorescence detection for environment was presented and categorized, principally including the detection of heavy metal ions, harmful anions and organic contaminants in the environment. In addition, the application of PDI and PDI-based materials in different advanced oxidation technologies for environment, such as photocatalysis, photoelectrocatalysis, Fenton and Fenton-like reaction and persulfate activation, was also summarized. At last, the challenges and future prospects of PDI-based materials in environmental applications were discussed. This review focuses on presenting the practical applications of PDI and PDI-based materials as fluorescent probes or catalysts (especially photocatalysts) in the detection of hazardous substances or catalytic elimination of organic contaminants. The contents are aimed at supplying the researchers with a deeper understanding of PDI and PDI-based materials and encouraging their further development in environmental applications.

Heavy-Atom-Free Bay-Substituted Perylene Diimide Donor-Acceptor Photosensitizers

Perylene diimide (PDI) dyes are extensively investigated because of their favorable photophysical characteristics for a wide range of organic material applications. Fine-tuning of the optoelectronic properties is readily achieved by functionalization of the electron-deficient PDI scaffold. Here, we present four new donor-acceptor type dyads, wherein the electron donor units - benzo[1,2-b : 4,5-b']dithiophene, 9,9-dimethyl-9,10-dihydroacridine, dithieno[3,2-b : 2',3'-d]pyrrole, and triphenylamine-are attached to the bay-positions of the PDI acceptor. Intersystem crossing occurs for these systems upon photoexcitation, without the aid of heavy atoms, resulting in singlet oxygen quantum yields up to 80 % in toluene solution. Furthermore, this feature is retained when the system is directly irradiated with energy corresponding to the intramolecular charge-transfer absorption band (at 639 nm). Geometrical optimization and (time-dependent) density functional theory calculations afford more insights into the requirements for intersystem crossing such as spin-orbit coupling, dihedral angles, the involvement of charge-transfer states, and energy level alignment.

Development of Perylene-Based Non-Fullerene Acceptors through Bay-Functionalization Strategy

Perylene has had a tremendous impact in the history of material research for the molecular semiconductors. Among numerous derivatives of this polyaromatic hydrocarbon, perylene diimide (PDI) represents a promising class of organic materials envisioned as non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs) for the practical organic photovoltaic (OPV) applications due to their enhanced photo- and thermal stability and remarkably high electron affinity, some of which realize band-like transport properties. The present review guides some of the representative achievements in the development of rationally designed PDI systems, highlighting synthetic methodologies based on bay-functionalization strategies for creating well-designed molecular nanostructures and structure-performance relationship of perylene-based small molecular acceptors (SMAs) for the photovoltaic outcomes.

Progress in the synthesis of perylene bisimide dyes

Rapid progress in the synthesis of perylene bisimide dyes gave an old scaffold new life.

Direct amination and N-heteroarylation of perylenediimides

A mild, fluoride-mediated reaction for the direct introduction of amines and N-heterocycles.

Synthesis of Isomeric Perylenodithiophene Diimides

Two isoelectronic dithiophene-fused perylene diimides (PDTI-1 and PDTI-2) were synthesized via a " bay-derivatization toward lateral extension" strategy. Single-crystal analysis unambiguously confirmed their unique structures and packing arrangements. The new PDTI system manifested significantly red-shifted absorptions with intense bands at 500-700 nm. Further dimerization indicated the potential of these dithiophene-fused PDIs as new building blocks for the construction of versatile rylene dyes in optoelectronic devices.

Efficient catalytic vicinal diamination of arylene diimides

New substitution patterns for rylene diimides by catalytic diamination.

Synthesis of bay-triaminosubstituted perylenediimides

A mild fluoride-mediated reaction for the synthesis of 1,6,7-triaminoperylenediimides.

Concentration-dependent self-assembly structures of an amphiphilic perylene diimide with tri(ethylene glycol) substituents at bay positions

The study provides a mild reaction condition to prepare an amphiphilic perylene diimide, and revealed the critical role of lateral H-bond in the abundant concentration-dependent self-assembly morphologies of the molecule.

Highly Stable Near-Infrared Fluorescent Organic Nanoparticles with a Large Stokes Shift for Noninvasive Long-Term Cellular Imaging

Fluorescent organic nanoparticles based on small molecules have been regarded as promising candidates for bioimaging in recent years. In this study, we report a highly stable near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent organic nanoprobes based on nanoparticles of an anthraquinone derivate with strong aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics and a large Stokes shift (>175 nm). These endow the nanoprobe with high fluorescent brightness and high signal-to-noise ratio. On the other hand, the nanoprobe also shows low cytotoxicity, good stability over a wide pH range, superior resistance against photodegradation and photobleaching comparing to typical commercial fluorescent organic dyes such as fluorescein sodium. Endowed with such merits in term of optical performance, biocompatibility, and stability, the nanoprobe is demonstrated to be an ideal fluorescent probe for noninvasive long-term cellular tracing and imaging applications. As an example, it is shown that strong red fluorescence from the nanoprobe can still be clearly observed in A549 human lung cancer cells after incubation for six generations over 15 days.

1,7-Bis-(N,N-dialkylamino)perylene Bisimides: Facile Synthesis and Characterization as Near-Infrared Fluorescent Dyes

Three symmetric alkylamino-substituted perylene bisimides with different n-alkyl chain lengths (n = 6, 12, or 18), 1,7-bis-(N,N-dialkylamino)perylene bisimides (1a–1c), were synthesized under mild condition and were characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and high resolution mass spectroscopy. Their optical and electrochemical properties were measured using UV-Vis and emission spectroscopic techniques as well as cyclic voltammetry (CV). These compounds show deep green color in both solution and solid state, and are highly soluble in dichloromethane and even in nonpolar solvents such as hexane. The shapes of the absorption spectra of 1a–1c in the solution and solid state were found to be almost the same, indicating that the long alkyl chains could efficiently prevent intermolecular contact and aggregation. They show a unique charge transfer emission in the near-infrared region, of which the peak wavelengths exhibit strong solvatochromism. The dipole moments of the molecules have been estimated using the Lippert–Mataga equation, and upon excitation, they show larger dipole moment changes than that of 1,7-diaminoperylene bisimide (2). Moreover, all the dyes exhibit two irreversible one-electron oxidations and two quasi-reversible one-electron reductions in dichloromethane at modest potentials. Complementary density functional theory calculations performed on these chromophores are reported in order to rationalize their electronic structure and optical properties.

Green Perylene Bisimide Dyes: Synthesis, Photophysical and Electrochemical Properties

Three asymmetric amino-substituted perylene bisimide dyes with different n-alkyl chain lengths (n = 6, 12, or 18), 1-(N,N-dialkylamino)perylene bisimides (1a-1c), were synthesized under mild condition in high yields and were characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance), HRMS (High Resolution Mass Spectrometer), UV-Vis and fluorescence spectra, as well as cyclic voltammetry (CV). These molecules show intense green color in both solution and solid state and are highly soluble in dichloromethane and even in nonpolar solvents, such as hexane. The shapes of the absorption spectra of 1a-1c in solid state and in solution were found to be virtually the same, indicating that the long alkyl chains could efficiently prevent aggregation. They exhibit a unique charge transfer emission in the near-infrared region, of which the peak wavelengths show strong solvatochromism. The dipole moments of the compounds have been estimated using the Lippert-Mataga equation, and upon excitation, they show larger dipole moment changes than that of 1-aminoperylene bisimide (2). Furthermore, all of the compounds exhibit two quasi-reversible one-electron oxidations and two quasi-reversible one-electron reductions in dichloromethane at modest potentials. Complementary density functional theory (DFT) calculations performed on these dyes are reported in order to rationalize their molecular structures and electronic properties.

High performance, air stable n-type single crystal transistors based on core-tetrachlorinated perylene diimides

High performance organic single crystal transistors based on two kinds of core-tetrachlorinated perylene diimides are fabricated.

1,6- and 1,7-regioisomers of asymmetric and symmetric perylene bisimides: synthesis, characterization and optical properties

The 1,6- and 1,7-regioisomers of dinitro- (1,6-A and 1,7-A) and diamino-substituted perylene bisimides (1,6-B and 1,7-B), and 1-amino-6-nitro- and 1-amino-7-nitroperylene bisimides (1,6-C and 1,7-C) were synthesized. The 1,6-A and 1,7-A regioisomers were successfully separated by high performance liquid chromatography and characterized by 500 MHz ¹H-NMR spectroscopy, and subsequently, their reduction which afforded the corresponding diaminoperylene bisimides 1,6-B and 1,7-B, respectively. On the other hand, the monoreduction of 1,6-A and 1,7-A, giving the asymmetric 1-amino-6-nitro (1,6-C) and 1-amino-7-nitroperylene bisimides (1,7-C), respectively, can be performed by shortening the reaction time from 6 h to 1 h. This is the first time the asymmetric 1,6-disubstituted perylene bisimide 1,6-C is obtained in pure form. The photophysical properties of 1,6-A and 1,7-A were found to be almost the same. However, the regioisomers 1,6-C and 1,7-C, as well as 1,6-B and 1,7-B, exhibit significant differences in their optical characteristics. Time-dependent density functional theory calculations performed on these dyes are reported in order to rationalize their electronic structure and absorption spectra.

A potential perylene diimide dimer-based acceptor material for highly efficient solution-processed non-fullerene organic solar cells with 4.03% efficiency

A highly efficient acceptor material for organic solar cells (OSCs)--based on perylene diimide (PDI) dimers--shows significantly reduced aggregation compared to monomeric PDI. The dimeric PDI shows a best power conversion efficiency (PCE) approximately 300 times that of the monomeric PDI when blended with a conjugate polymer (BDTTTT-C-T) and with 1,8-diiodooctane as co-solvent (5%). This shows that non-fullerene materials also hold promise for efficient OSCs.

Synthesis of pyridine-fused perylene imides with an amidine moiety for hydrogen bonding

Pyridine-fused perylene tetracarboxylic acid bisimides (PBIs) were synthesized via Suzuki-Miyaura coupling and acid condensation. The fused PBIs with electron-donating substituents exhibited an intramolecular charge transfer interaction. One of the N-alkyl substituents was selectively removed with BBr3 to create an amidine guest binding site. A hydrogen bonding interaction with pentafluorobenzoic acid changed the absorption spectra and enhanced fluorescence.

Perylene imides for organic photovoltaics: yesterday, today, and tomorrow

Perylene imides have been an object of research for 100 years and their derivatives are key n-type semiconductors in the field of organic electronics. While perylene diimides have been applied in many electronic and photonic devices, their use can be traced back to the first efficient organic solar cell. By functionalizing different positions of the in total 12 positions (four peri, four bay, and four ortho-positions) on the perylene core, perylene imides with significantly different optical, electronic and morphological properties may be prepared. Perylene imides and their derivatives have been used in several types of organic photovoltaics, including flat-, and bulk-heterojunction devices as well as dye-sensitized solar cells. Additionally perylene imides-based copolymers or oligomers play an important role in single junction devices. In this review, the relationship between the photovoltaic performance and the structure of perylene imides is discussed.