Photophysical Properties of 9,10-Disubstituted Anthracene Derivatives in Solution and Films

Substituent effects on energetics and crystal morphology modulate singlet fission in 9,10-bis(phenylethynyl)anthracenes

Singlet fission (SF) converts a singlet exciton into two triplet excitons in two or more electronically coupled organic chromophores, which may then be used to increase solar cell efficiency. Many known SF chromophores are unsuitable for device applications due to chemical instability or low triplet state energies. The results described here show that efficient SF occurs in derivatives of 9,10-bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene (BPEA), which is a highly robust and tunable chromophore. Fluoro and methoxy substituents at the 4- and 4'-positions of the BPEA phenyl groups control the intermolecular packing in the crystal structure, which alters the interchromophore electronic coupling, while also changing the SF energetics. The lowest excited singlet state (S₁) energy of 4,4'-difluoro-BPEA is higher than that of BPEA so that the increased thermodynamic favorability of SF results in a (16 ± 2 ps)^-1 SF rate and a 180% ± 16% triplet yield, which is about an order of magnitude faster than BPEA with a comparable triplet yield. By contrast, 4-fluoro-4'-methoxy-BPEA and 4,4'-dimethoxy-BPEA have slower SF rates, (90 ± 20 ps)^-1 and (120 ± 10 ps)^-1, and lower triplet yields, (110 ± 4)% and (168 ± 7)%, respectively, than 4,4'-difluoro-BPEA. These differences are attributed to changes in the crystal structure controlling interchromophore electronic coupling as well as SF energetics in these polycrystalline solids.

An Anthracene Excimer Fluorescence Probe on Mesoporous Silica for Dual Functions of Detection and Adsorption of Mercury (II) and Copper (II) with Biological In Vivo Applications

Dual functional activity by the same organic-inorganic hybrid material toward selective metal ion detection and its adsorption has drawn more attraction in the field of sensing. However, most of the hybrid materials in the literature are either for sensing studies or adsorption studies. In this manuscript, a fluorescent active hybrid material SiO₂ @PBATPA is synthesized by covalent coupling of anthracene-based chelating ligand N,N'-(propane-1,3-diyl) bis(N-(anthracen-9-ylmethyl)-2-((3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl) amino) acetamide) (PBATPA) within the mesopores of newly synthesized cubic mesoporous silica. The synthetic strategy is designed to form an exclusively intramolecular excimer on a solid surface, which is then used as a sensory tool for selective detection of metal ions through fluorescence quenching by the destruction of excimer upon metal ion binding. The dual functions of sensing and adsorption studies show selectivity toward Hg²⁺ and Cu²⁺ among various metal ions with detection limits of 37 and 6 ppb, respectively, and adsorption capacities of 482 and 246 mg g^-1 , respectively. This material can be used as a sensory cum adsorbent material in real food samples and living organisms such as the brine shrimp Artemia salina without any toxic effects from the material.

Electronic energy and electron transfer processes in photoexcited donor-acceptor dyad and triad molecular systems based on triphenylene and perylene diimide units

We investigate the photophysical properties of organic donor-acceptor dyad and triad molecular systems based on triphenylene and perylene diimide units linked by a non-conjugated flexible bridge in solution using complementary optical spectroscopy techniques. When these molecules are diluted in dichloromethane solution, energy transfer from the triphenylene to the perylene diimide excited moieties is evidenced by time-resolved fluorescence measurements resulting in a quenching of the emission from the triphenylene moieties. Simultaneously, another quenching process that affects the emission from both donor and acceptor units is observed. Solution ultrafast transient absorption measurements provide evidence of photo-induced charge transfer from either the donor or the acceptor depending upon the excitation. Overall, the analysis of the detailed time-resolved spectroscopic measurements carried out in the dyad and triad systems as well as in the triphenylene and perylene diimide units alone provides useful information both to better understand the relations between energy and charge transfer processes with molecular structures, and for the design of future functional dyad and triad architectures based on donor and acceptor moieties for organic optoelectronic applications.

Theoretical studies on electronic structures and photophysical properties of anthracene derivatives as hole-transporting materials for OLEDs

The electronic structures and photophysical properties of anthracene derivatives as hole-transporting materials (HTM) in OLEDs have been studied by DFT and TD-DFT methods. Thiophene and triphenylamine (TPA) moieties are used as substituents in anthracene based HTMs providing FATn and FAPn compounds (n=1-2), respectively. The calculated electronic levels by B3LYP show proper energy matching of FAPn and hole-injecting layer (HIL), indicating that the hole-transports of the FAPn compounds are better than the FATn compounds. The photophysical properties calculated by TD-B3LYP elucidate that TPA in FAPn compounds acts as electron donating group and induces charge transfer character in the absorptions. Furthermore, the calculated ionization potential (IP), electron affinity (EA) and reorganization energies also revealed that the extended FAP2 compound has the highest charge-transporting ability among the studied compounds. The calculated results are consistent to our experimental observations showing that FAP2 exhibits bright fluorescence with highest quantum yield in electroluminescent devices. Understanding of these properties is useful for further design of new HTMs of desired properties, such as high efficiency and stability.

Non-symmetric 9,10-diphenylanthracene-based deep-blue emitters with enhanced charge transport properties

Realization of 9,10-diphenylanthracene based deep-blue emitters exhibiting high fluorescence efficiency, demonstrating good film forming properties and high carrier drift mobilities is presented.

Photophysical, amplified spontaneous emission and charge transport properties of oligofluorene derivatives in thin films

We investigate the charge transport, photophysical and amplified spontaneous emission properties of a series of monodisperse solution-processable oligofluorenes functionalized with hexyl chains at the C9 position of each fluorene unit.

Conjugated anthracene dendrimers with monomer-like fluorescence

A series of highly fluorescent conjugated anthracene dendrimers having monomeric emission profile, but still exhibiting fast exciton depolarisation, are here presented.