A Low-Bandgap Conjugated Copolymer Based on Porphyrin and Dithienocoronene Diimide with Strong Two-Photon Absorption

Near-infrared dyes for two-photon absorption in the short-wavelength infrared: strategies towards optical power limiting

The recent advances in the field of two-photon absorbing chromophores in the short-wavelength infrared spectral range (SWIR 1100–2500 nm) are summarized, highlighting the development of optical power limiting devices in this spectral range.

Low Bandgap Donor-Acceptor π-Conjugated Polymers From Diarylcyclopentadienone-Fused Naphthalimides

Two novel aromatic imides, diarylcyclopentadienone-fused naphthalimides (BCPONI-2Br and TCPONI-2Br), are designed and synthesized by condensation coupling cyclopentadienone derivatives at the lateral position of naphthalimide skeleton. It has been found that BCPONI-2Br and TCPONI-2Br are highly electron-withdrawing acceptor moieties, which possess broad absorption bands and very low-lying LUMO energy levels, as low as -4.02 eV. On the basis of both building blocks, six low bandgap D-A copolymers (P1-P6) are prepared via Suzuki or Stille coupling reactions. The optical and electrochemical properties of the polymers are fine-tuned by the variations of donors (carbazole, benzodithiophene, and dithienopyrrole) and π-conjugation linkers (thiophene and benzene). All polymers exhibit several attractive photophysical and electrochemical properties, i.e., broad near-infrared (NIR) absorption, deep-lying LUMO levels (between -3.88 and -3.76 eV), and a very small optical bandgap ( E g opt ) as low as 0.81 eV, which represents the first aromatic diimide-based polymer with an E g opt of <1.0 eV. An investigation of charge carrier transport properties shows that P5 exhibits a moderately high hole mobility of 0.02 cm² V^-1 s^-1 in bottom-gate field-effect transistors (FETs) and a typical ambipolar transport behavior in top-gate FETs. The findings suggest that BCPONI-2Br, TCPONI-2Br, and the other similar acceptor units are promising building blocks for novel organic semiconductors with outstanding NIR activity, high electron affinity, and low bandgap, which can be extended to various next-generation optoelectronic devices.

Metal-free Annulation at the Ortho- and Bay-Positions of Perylene Bisimide Leading to Lateral π-Extension with Strong NIR Absorption

A novel ortho/ bay annulation reaction of perylene bisimide (PBI) has been explored in a single step synthetic procedure using perylene bisimide 1 and 1,8-Diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) in the absence of any metal catalyst. The single crystal solid-state X-ray diffraction structure showed a distorted framework of DBU-fused PBI 2. Compound 2 exhibited intense near-infrared absorption up to 950 nm. Reversible protonation and deprotonation accompany drastic changes in the photophysical characteristics. Further, the reaction of perylene biscarboxyanhydride with DBU offered a caprolactam ring-substituted perylene bisimide 3.

Fully Conjugated Porphyrin Glass: Collective Light-Harvesting Antenna for Near-Infrared Fluorescence beyond 1 μm

Expanded π-systems with a narrow highest occupied molecular orbital-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital band gap encounter deactivation of excitons due to the "energy gap law" and undesired aggregation. This dilemma generally thwarts the near-infrared (NIR) luminescence of organic π-systems. A sophisticated cofacially stacked π-system is known to involve exponentially tailed disorder, which displays exceptionally red-shifted fluorescence even as only a marginal emission component. Enhancement of the tail-state fluorescence might be advantageous to achieve NIR photoluminescence with an expected collective light-harvesting antenna effect as follows: (i) efficient light-harvesting capacity due to intense electronic absorption, (ii) a long-distance exciton migration into the tail state based on a high spatial density of the chromophore site, and (iii) substantial transmission of NIR emission to circumvent the inner filter effect. Suppression of aggregation-induced quenching of fluorescence could realize collective light-harvesting antenna for NIR-luminescence materials. This study discloses an enhanced tail-state NIR fluorescence of a self-standing porphyrin film at 1138 nm with a moderate quantum efficiency based on a fully π-conjugated porphyrin that adopts an amorphous form, called "porphyrin glass".

Synthesis and C-H Functionalization Chemistry of Thiazole-Semicoronenediimides (TsCDIs) and -Coronenediimides (TCDIs)

Coronenediimide (CDI) derivatives have a planar structure, a reasonably high electron affinity, and a rigid and extended delocalized π-system. Therefore, this core and variants thereof may be promising building blocks for the synthesis of electron transport materials. Herein, we have synthesized thiazole-semicoronenediimides (TsCDIs) and -coronenediimides (TCDIs) by a two-step process from a perylenediimide (PDI) precursor. Conditions for C-H arylation and heteroarylation of the thiazole moiety of this core were developed and were successfully used for the synthesis of dimer, triad, and polymeric materials. The optical and electrochemical properties of these materials and their monomers were examined as a function of side-chain modification and π-extension. With their broad optical absorption and low reduction potentials, these materials could be candidates as organic semiconductors for applications in OFETs and as nonfullerene acceptors.

Heterocyclic Nanographenes and Other Polycyclic Heteroaromatic Compounds: Synthetic Routes, Properties, and Applications

Two-dimensionally extended, polycyclic heteroaromatic molecules (heterocyclic nanographenes) are a highly versatile class of organic materials, applicable as functional chromophores and organic semiconductors. In this Review, we discuss the rich chemistry of large heteroaromatics, focusing on their synthesis, electronic properties, and applications in materials science. This Review summarizes the historical development and current state of the art in this rapidly expanding field of research, which has become one of the key exploration areas of modern heterocyclic chemistry.

Efficient synthesis and photovoltaic properties of highly rigid perylene-embedded benzothiazolyls

Perylene-embedded benzothiazolyls, designed by 2D-fusing of dithienylbenzothiadiazoles, have been synthesized and characterized as new electron-accepting building-blocks for organic photovoltaic applications.

Electronic and Morphological Studies of Conjugated Polymers Incorporating a Disk-Shaped Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Unit

As more research findings have shown the correlation between ordering in organic semiconductor thin films and device performance, it is becoming more essential to exercise control of the ordering through structural tuning. Many recent studies have focused on the influence of side chain engineering on polymer packing orientation in thin films. However, the impact of the size and conformation of aromatic surfaces on thin film ordering has not been investigated in great detail. Here we introduce a disk-shaped polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon building block with a large π surface, namely, thienoazacoronenes (TACs), as a donor monomer for conjugated polymers. A series of medium bandgap conjugated polymers have been synthesized by copolymerizing TAC with electron donating monomers of varying size. The incorporation of the TAC unit in such semiconducting polymers allows a systematic investigation, both experimentally and theoretically, of the relationships between polymer conformation, electronic structure, thin film morphology, and charge transport properties. Field effect transistors based on these polymers have shown good hole mobilities and photoresponses, proving that TAC is a promising building block for high performance optoelectronic materials.

Synthesis and characterization of novel symmetrical two-photon chromophores derived from bis(triphenylaminotetrathienoacenyl) and fused-thiophene units

Four new donor–π–donor (D–π₁–π₂–π₁–D) fused-thiophene-based chromophores, end-functionalized with electron-donating triphenylamine (TPA) groups, were developed and characterized for a two-photon absorption study.

Anthanthrene as a large PAH building block for the synthesis of conjugated polymers

New anthanthrene-based conjugated polymers exhibiting promising optical and electronic properties for organic electronics applications were prepared from low-cost vat orange 3.

Improve the photovoltaic performance of new quinoxaline-based conjugated polymers from the view of conjugated length and steric hindrance

An improved photovoltaic performance of quinoxaline-based polymer solar cells was obtained from the view of conjugated length and steric hindrance.