Bridged Dithienylethylenes as Precursors of Small Bandgap Electrogenerated Conjugated Polymers

Tuning the Electronic Properties of Bridged Dithienyl-, Difuryl-, Dipyrrolyl-Vinylene as Precursors of Small-Bandgap Conjugated Polymer

Optoelectronic properties of linear π-conjugated polymers/oligomers are of great importance for the fabrication of organic photonic and electronic devices. To this end, the π-conjugated polymers/oligomers need to meet both optoelectronic and key structural properties in order to fulfill their implementation as active components. In particular, they need to possess low bandgap and high thermal, conformational, and photochemical stabilities. So far, several strategies have been developed to attain such requirements including the covalent and non-covalent rigidification concepts of the π-conjugated systems. On the basis of these findings, we describe herein the theoretical studies of novel series of covalently bridged derivatives demonstrating the benefits of the strategy. Comparison of these derivatives with compounds previously described in the literature highlights enhanced optoelectronic properties and behaviors that would be beneficial for the construction and development of new linear π-conjugated polymers.

Recent advances of carbonyl olefination via McMurry coupling reaction

McMurry coupling reaction utilizes the low-valent titanium reagents and carbonyl compounds to produce olefins. The wide synthetic application of McMurry reagents in intermolecular and intramolecular coupling reactions, tandem coupling reactions, and keto ester coupling reactions of carbonyl compounds for the last five years have been reviewed. The resulting coupling reaction produces natural and non-natural products, including strained olefins and unusual molecules as a candidate for nanomaterials, pharmaceuticals, electronic materials, and so forth. The advantages, scope, and limitations along with the improvement of the McMurry coupling reaction, including the addition of high functional group compatibility, McMurry reagents substitution, and several other treatments, have also been discussed.

McMurry coupling reaction utilizes the low-valent titanium reagents and carbonyl compounds to produce olefins.

Polyacetylene Revisited: A Computational Study of the Molecular Engineering of N-type Polyacetylene

The development of stable and highly conductive polymers, particularly n-type materials, remains an outstanding challenge in organic electronics. N-doped polyacetylene has long been studied as a highly conductive organic n-type material but suffers from extremely poor stability. Herein, we use DFT to model a series of n-doped polyacetylene derivatives, which have been functionalized with a range of electron-withdrawing substituents, with the goal of identifying attractive candidates for synthesis. We analyze the predicted molecular orbital energies, polymer planarity, and delocalization of charge carriers along the polymer backbone. In so doing, we develop key insights about the ideal substituents for both stable and highly conductive polyacetylene derivatives. This work will inform the modern synthesis and development of new polyacetylene derivatives. Beyond this, the work identifies a variety of new materials that have not yet been synthesized and should be good candidates for emerging optoelectronic applications including soft thermoelectrics, bioelectronics, and flexible device technologies.

An attempt to synthesize a terthienyl-based analog of indacenedithiophene (IDT): unexpected synthesis of a naphtho[2,3-b]thiophene derivative

We report herein our attempt to synthesize an analog of indacenedithiophene (IDT) based on a tetraphenylhexyl substituted, covalently bridged syn-terthienyl unit. Instead of the expected compound the adopted synthetic route led to the formation of an unexpected, new naphtho[2,3-b]thiophene derivative. The structure of this compound was fully characterized by NMR and HRMS as well as single crystal X-ray diffraction and its electronic properties have been analyzed by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. A possible mechanism for the formation of this compound is also proposed on the basis of detailed theoretical investigations.

Serendipitous synthesis of a novel naphtho[2,3-b]thiophene derivative. Detailed investigation of the structure and properties as well as a possible mechanism for its formation.

4,5-Dihydro-cyclo-penta-[b]thio-phen-6-one

The title compound, C(7)H(6)OS, crystallizes with two similar mol-ecules, 1 and 2, in the asymmetric unit. Both mol-ecules are essentially planar with r.m.s. deviations of 0.0193 and 0.0107 Å for the planes through the nine non-H atoms of mol-ecules 1 and 2, respectively. The thio-phene and 4,5-dihydro-cyclo-penta-dienone rings are inclined at 2.40 (13)° in 1 and 0.64 (13)° in 2. In the crystal structure π-π [3.6542 (17) Å] and C-H⋯π contacts stack the mol-ecules into columns in an inverse fashion along the b axis. An extensive series of C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds links the columns, generating an extended network structure.

Photophysical, Crystallographic, and Electrochemical Characterization of Symmetric and Unsymmetric Self-Assembled Conjugated Thiopheno Azomethines

Novel conjugated azomethines consisting uniquely of thiophene units are presented. The highly conjugated compounds were synthesized by simple condensation of a stable diamino thiophene (2) with its complementary thiophene aldehydes. These interesting nitrogen-containing thiophene units exhibit variable reactivity leading to controlled aldehyde addition. Because of the different amino reactivity, a one-pot synthesis of unsymmetric and symmetric conjugated azomethines with varying number of thiophene units was possible by judicious choice of solvent and careful control of reagent stoichiometry. The resulting covalent conjugated connections are both reductively and hydrolytically resistant. The thermodynamically E isomer is formed uniquely for all of the azomethines synthesized, which is confirmed by crystallographic studies. These also demonstrated that the azomethine bonds and the thiophene units are highly planar and linear. The fluorescence and phosphorescence of the thiopheno azomethines measured are similar to those of thiophene analogues currently used in functional devices, but with the advantage of low triplet formation and band-gaps as low as 1.9 eV. The time-resolved and steady-state temperature-dependent photophysics revealed the thiopheno azomethines do not populate extensively their triplet manifold by intersystem crossing. Rather, their excited-state energy is dissipated predominantly by nonradiative means of internal conversion. Quasi-reversible electrochemical radical cation formation of the thiophene units was found. These compounds further undergo electrochemically induced oxidative cross-coupling, resulting in conjugated products that also exhibit reversible radical cation formation.

Nanosized Rigid π-Conjugated Molecular Heterojunctions with Multi[60]fullerenes: Facile Synthesis and Photophysical Properties

A series of large, rigid, new, well-defined, D-pi-B-A compounds with three chromophores (truxene moieties at the core, conjugated oligothiophenes as the branch bridges, and [60]pyrrolidinofullerene (C60) segments as the end-capped groups) have been facilely developed in this contribution. Oligothiophene-functionalized truxene derivatives 1-29 are prepared by the Suzuki, the Sonogashira, and the Negishi cross-coupling reactions catalyzed by Pd(PPh3)4 as well as the McMurry reaction, respectively. The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of the oligomers with C60 and N-methylglycine yields a new family of star-shaped D-pi-B-A derivatives end-capped with pyrrolidinofullerene moieties as the active materials for photovoltaic devices in which one, two, three, or four C60 moieties are allocated at the peripheral position of well-defined compounds, respectively. We also investigate the UV-vis and photoluminescence behaviors of these pyrrolidinofullerene-functionalized derivatives. The emission is obviously quenched after the inducement of the C60 moieties. We also observe that the emission intensity is decreased with the increase in the number of C60 moieties.

Fine Tuning of the Electronic Properties of Linear π-Conjugated Oligomers by Covalent Bridging

A series of oligothienylenevinylenes, pi-conjugated oligomers rigidified by ethylene bridges attached at different sites of the conjugated backbone, have been constructed by multistep synthetic methodologies. Electronic absorption spectra show that the rigidification of the conjugated system produces a bathochromic shift of the absorption maximum and a narrowing of the HOMO-LUMO energy gap, as compared to the spectra of an open-chain reference compound. The cyclic voltammograms of all oligomers show that these compounds can be reversibly oxidized into their cation radicals and dications and that rigidification produces a large negative shift of the first oxidation potential, which is indicative of a considerable increase of the HOMO level. Electrochemical data confirm that covalent bridging strongly affects the HOMO and LUMO levels and these data demonstrate that the sites of fixation of the bridges on the pi-conjugated backbone exert a determining effect on the relative stability of the cation radical and dication. Examination of these various results in the light of theoretical calculations shows that in addition to a local control of bond length alternation, and hence of the HOMO-LUMO gap, the fixation of covalent bridges at selected positions of the pi-conjugated system limits the deformation of the pi-conjugated structure upon oxidation to the charged states.

From cyclopentanone oximes to bis[1,2,3]dithiazolo-s-indacenes, cyclopenta[c][1,2]thiazine, pentathiepino-, tetrathiino-, and thienocyclopenta[1,2,3]dithiazoles as a rich source of new materials

[Structure: see text]. The 1,5- and 1,7-s-hydrindacenedione dioximes reacted with S2Cl2 and iBu3N to give the first examples of bis[1,2,3]dithiazolo-s-indacenes; one of them was a near-infrared dye. In contrast, the silylated bicyclo[3.3.0]octan-2,6-dione dioxime reacted with S2Cl2 and Et3N to give a bicyclic 4-cyanoethylcyclopenta[1,2,3]dithiazole or, after addition of Li2S, a tricyclic 4-cyanoethyl-5,6-pentathiepinocyclopenta[1,2,3]dithiazole, also obtained from 2-cyanoethylcyclopentanone oxime, S2Cl2, and Hünig's base. In related reactions, 2-oxocyclopentylpropionate oxime gave the expected cyclopenta[1,2,3]dithiazole, in addition to an unexpected cyclopenta[c][1,2]thiazine that showed a reversible reduction wave in its CV at -0.95 V. Ethyl 2-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate oxime reacted with S2Cl2, Hünig's base, and Li2S to give a 5,6-tetrathiinocyclopenta[1,2,3]dithiazole derivative. Cyclopentathiophen-4-one oximes reacted with S2Cl2 and iBu3N to give thienocyclopenta[1,2,3]dithiazoles that showed UV-vis spectral bands that depended on the positions of the ring fusion.

Tuning of Electronic Structures of Poly(p-phenylenevinylene) Analogues of Phenyl, Thienyl, Furyl, and Pyrrolyl by Double-Bond Linkages of Group 14 and 15 Elements

We investigated electronic structures of four sets of monomers and polymers comprising of phenyl rings and five-membered hetero(aromatic) moieties connected with double-bond -X=X- linkages (X = CH, SiH, GeH, N, P, As) by density functional theory, time-dependent density functional theory, and periodic boundary condition calculations with B3LYP functional. Electronic structures of poly(p-phenylenevinylene) (PPV) analogues are primarily dominated by central double-bond moieties. The introduction of ethylene homologues with group 14 and 15 elements was demonstrated to be a promising approach to modify electronic structures of conjugated oligomers and polymers. Excitation energies of monomers with double-bond linkages were reduced by around 13-50% with respect to corresponding dimers of phenyl, thienyl, furyl, and pyrrolyl rings. Similarly, band gaps of poly(p-phenylene) and polythiophene were decreased by 0.3-0.9 eV upon the insertion of double-bond linkages. Furthermore, excitation energies of monomers presented decreasing trends when descending through groups 14 and 15. For group 14 ethylene homologues, the decreasing trend in the lowest excitation energies was rationalized by a progressively favoring of pi-sigma* interactions as descending X = CH, SiH, and GeH. Increasing p contents of central bonds along X = N, P, and As accounted for geometry features and the lowest excitation energies of group 15 species. A decrease in the extent of electronic communications between aromatic rings and -X=X- linkages within higher congeners was also revealed.

π-Conjugated Twin Molecules Based on Truxene: Synthesis and Optical Properties

[structure: see text] A series of novel extended pi-conjugated twin molecules based on 10,15-dihydro-5H-diindeno[1,2-alpha;1',2'-c]fluorene (truxene) have been prepared via Pd(0)-catalyzed Suzuki coupling, Sonogashira coupling, and McMurry reactions, respectively. 9,9'-Spirobifluorenylene, ethynylene, and vinylene groups as the bridge are introduced to connect both truxene moieties to understand the effect of the large steric chromophores on the properties of the desired materials. The investigation of optical properties of TM1-3 by UV-vis and photoluminescent spectroscopy demonstrates that the optical properties of the twin molecules are strongly affected by the pi-linkages.

Design and synthesis of push-pull chromophores for second-order nonlinear optics derived from rigidified thiophene-based pi-conjugating spacers

Two series of push-pull chromophores built around thiophene-based pi-conjugating spacers rigidified either by covalent bonds or by noncovalent intramolecular interactions have been synthesized and characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, electric field induced second harmonic generation (EFISH) and differential scanning calorimetry. Comparison of the linear and second-order nonlinear optical properties of chromophores based on a covalently bridged dithienylethylene (DTE) spacer with those of their analogues based on open chain DTE shows that the rigidification of the spacer produces a considerable bathochromic shift of the absorption maximum together with a dramatic enhancement of the molecular quadratic hyperpolarizability (mu beta) which reaches values among the highest reported so far. A second series of NLO-phores has been derived from a 2,2'-bi(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (BEDOT) pi-conjugating spacer. As indicated by X-ray and UV-vis data, rigidification of the spacer originates in that case, from noncovalent intramolecular interactions between sulfur and oxygen atoms. Again, comparison with the parent compounds based on an unsubstituted bithiophene spacer reveals a marked red shift of the absorption maximum and a large enhancement of mu beta. In an attempt to distinguish the contribution of the electronic and geometrical effects of the ethylenedioxy group, a third series of NLO-phores based on 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) and 3,4-dihexyloxythiophene spacers has been synthesized. Comparison with compounds based on unsubstituted thiophene shows that, despite a red shift of lambda(max), introduction of alkoxy groups leads to a decrease of mu beta. Theoretical calculations indicate that this effect results from a decrease of the dipole moment (mu) caused by the auxiliary electron-donor alkoxy groups on the thiophene ring. In contrast, replacement of BT by BEDOT produces an increase of mu, which associated with the noncovalent rigidification of the BT system accounts for the observed enhancement of mu beta.

Oligothienylenevinylenes as a new class of multinanometer linear pi-conjugated systems for micro- and nanoelectronics

This Account deals with the synthesis and characterization of monodisperse soluble oligothienylenevinylenes with chain lengths up to 100 A. The chain length dependence of the electronic and electrochemical properties both in solution and in the solid state are analyzed and discussed in the context of the potential use of oligothienylenevinylenes as molecular wires. Problems related to interchain interactions are illustrated by the analysis of the effects of structure on the reversible dimerization of cation radicals and by the synthesis of new series of end-substituted oligomers.