Room temperature synthesis of perylene diimides facilitated by high amic acid solubility

A novel protocol for the synthesis of perylene diimides (PDIs), by reacting perylene dianhydride (PDA) with aliphatic amines is reported. Full conversions were obtained at temperatures between 20 and 60 °C, using DBU as the base in DMF or DMSO. A “green” synthesis of PDIs, that runs at higher temperatures, was developed using K₂CO₃ in DMSO. The reaction sequence for the imidization process, via perylene amic acid intermediates (PAAs), has been confirmed experimentally aided by the synthesis and full characterization of stable model amic acid salts and amic esters. Kinetic studies, using absorption spectroscopy, have established that PDI formation proceeds via fast amic acid formation, followed by a slow conversion to imides. Solubility of the intermediate PAA salts is found to be low and rate-limiting. Based on this finding, quantitative PDI synthesis at room temperature was achieved by diluting the reaction mixture with water, the solvent in which PAA salts have better solubility. Thus, the otherwise harsh synthesis of PDIs has been transformed into an extremely convenient functional group tolerant and highly efficient reaction that runs at room temperature.

Perylene diimides (PDIs) are synthesised at room temperature and obtained in quantitative yields after a single filtration. High solubility of the intermediate amic acid salts 5 and 9 is key to the success of this novel synthesis.

Perylene Bisimide Dyes with up to Five Independently Introduced Substituents: Controlling the Functionalization Pattern and Photophysical Properties Using Regiospecific Bay Substitution

We report herein a versatile and user-friendly synthetic methodology based on sequential functionalization that enables the synthesis of previously unknown perylene bisimide (PBI) dyes with up to five different substituents attached to the perylene core (e.g., compound 15). The key to the success of our strategy is a highly efficient regiospecific 7-mono- and 7,12-di-phenoxy bay substitution at the "imide-activated" 7- and 12-bay positions of 1,6,7,12-tetrachloroperylene monoimide diester 1. The facile subsequent conversion of the diester groups into an imide group resulted in novel PBIs (e.g., compound 14) with two phenoxy substituents specifically at the 7- and 12-bay positions. This conversion led to the activation of C-1 and C-6 bay positions, and thereafter, the remaining two chlorine atoms were substituted to obtain tetraphenoxy-PBI (compound 15) that has two different imide and three different bay substituents. The methodology provides excellent control over the functionalization pattern, which enables the synthesis of various regioisomeric pairs bearing the same bay substituents. Another important feature of this strategy is the high sensitivity of HOMO-LUMO energies and photoinduced charge transfer toward sequential functionalization. As a result, systematic fluorescence on-off switching has been demonstrated upon subsequent substitution with the electron-donating 4-methoxyphenoxy substituent.

Directly Linked Zinc Phthalocyanine-Perylenediimide Dyads and a Triad for Ultrafast Charge Separation

Directly linked to promote strong intramolecular interactions, donor-acceptor dyads and a donor-acceptor-donor triad featuring zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) as electron donor and perylenediimide (PDI) as electron acceptor have been synthesized and characterized. Owing to complementary absorption features of the entities, improved light absorption was witnessed in these conjugates. The optimized geometry and electronic structures showed the majority of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) on the ZnPc entity, whereas the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) was on the PDI entity, suggesting that the charge-separated states would be ZnPc⁺ -PDI^{. -} . The electrochemical and free-energy calculations suggested exothermic energy and/or electron transfer processes via the singlet states of PDI or ZnPc entities depending on the excitation wavelength of the laser used. The measured rates using femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy coupled with global analysis of transient data revealed ultrafast energy transfer from ¹ PDI* to ZnPc followed by charge separation. However, when ZnPc was selectively excited, only electron transfer was witnessed wherein the time constants for forward and reverse electron transfer processes followed Marcus predictions. The absorption in a wide section of the solar spectrum and the ultrafast charge separation suggest the usefulness of these systems as good photosynthetic models.

Diels–Alder reaction on perylenediimides: synthesis and theoretical study of core-expanded diimides

(Un)substituted perylenediimides react with (un)functionalized benzynes yielding core-expanded diimides.

Direct amination and N-heteroarylation of perylenediimides

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

A light harvesting perylene derivative - zinc phthalocyanine complex in water: spectroscopic and thermodynamic studies

A perylene derivative, namely N,N'-bis(2(trimethylammonium iodide)ethylene)perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxyldiimide (TAIPDI) forms nanoscale columnar stacks in water that have been characterized by using optical absorption and emission measurements, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). This behaviour was compared with that of unstacked TAIPDI in methanol. Assembly formation between the one-dimensional TAIPDI stacks and zinc phthalocyanine tetrasulphonic groups (ZnPcS₄) via strong π-π and ionic interactions has been described in an aqueous medium. The formation constant of the supramolecular dyad has been determined as 2.94 × 10⁴ M^-1 from both the absorption and fluorescence measurements. Upon addition of ZnPcS₄, the fluorescence quenching of the singlet-excited state of TAIPDI was observed because of the electron transfer process from ZnPcS₄ to TAIPDI via the singlet-excited states of ZnPcS₄ and TAIPDI entities. The electrochemical studies supported the electron transfer pathways via the singlet states of ZnPcS₄ and TAIPDI. The thermodynamic parameters of the supramolecular complex have been determined from stopped-flow measurements. The interaction between ZnPcS₄ and TAIPDI occurs in two steps, where the rate constant of the second step with TAIPDI (207 ± 8 M^-1 s^-1) is much slower than the first one (3515 ± 101 M^-1 s^-1). Activation parameters for the complex formation (ΔH^# = 76 ± 11 kJ mol^-1 and ΔS^# = 83 ± 37 J K^-1 mol^-1, and ΔH^# = 221 ± 15 kJ mol^-1 and ΔS^# = 540 ± 50 J K^-1 mol^-1) were determined from variable temperature studies for the first and second steps, respectively. The significantly positive ΔS^# values found for both steps of the interaction reactions are consistent with a dissociative mechanism.

Excited state dynamics and conformations of a Cu(ii)-phthalocyanine-perylenebisimide dyad

We investigate the excited state dynamics and the conformations of a new molecular donor-bridge-acceptor system, a Cu(ii)-phthalocyanine (CuPc) covalently linked via a flexible aliphatic spacer to a perylenebisimide (PBI). We performed time-resolved polarization anisotropy and pump-probe measurements in combination with molecular dynamics simulations. Our data suggest the existence of three conformations of the dyad: two more extended, metastable conformations with centre-of-mass distances >1 nm between the PBI and CuPc units of the dyad, and a highly stable folded structure, in which the PBI and CuPc units are stacked on top of each other with a centre-of-mass distance of 0.4 nm. In the extended conformations the dyad shows emission predominantly from the PBI unit with a very weak contribution from the CuPc unit. In contrast, for the folded conformation the PBI emission of the dyad is strongly quenched due to fast energy transfer from the PBI to the CuPc unit (3 ps) and subsequent intersystem-crossing (300 fs) from the first excited singlet state of CuPc unit into its triplet state. Finally, the CuPc triplet state is deactivated non-radiatively with a time constant of 25 ns.

Concentration-dependent photophysical switching in mixed self-assembled monolayers of pentacene and perylenediimide on gold nanoclusters

The precise control and switching of photophysical processes such as singlet fission, electron transfer and excimer were performed using mixed SAMs of pentacene and perylenediimide units on Au nanoclusters.

Fluoride-mediated alkoxylation and alkylthio-functionalization of halogenated perylenediimides

The presence of fluoride ions in the reaction of chloro- or bromo-PDIs with alcohols and thiols leads to a spectacular increase in the yields of substituted compounds.

Solvent-dependent photo-induced dynamics in a non-rigidly linked zinc phthalocyanine–perylenediimide dyad probed using ultrafast spectroscopy

A solvent dependent pump–probe study on an artificial light harvesting dyad reveals static and dynamic system-bath interactions observed in ultrafast photoinduced energy and electron transfer.

Tunable and highly efficient light-harvesting antenna systems based on 1,7-perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid derivatives

Efficient harvesting of solar energy, without interference from electron transfer, is reported for a series of bichromophoric light-harvesting antenna molecules.

We report the synthesis and excited-state dynamics of a series of five bichromophoric light-harvesting antenna systems, which are capable of efficient harvesting of solar energy in the spectral range of 350–580 nm. These antenna systems have been synthesized in a modular fashion by the covalent attachment of blue light absorbing naphthalene monoimide energy donors (D1, D2, and D3) to green light absorbing perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid derived energy acceptors, 1,7-perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic tetrabutylester (A1), 1,7-perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic monoimide dibutylester (A2), and 1,7-perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic bisimide (A3). The energy donors have been linked at the 1,7-bay-positions of the perylene derivatives, thus leaving the peri positions free for further functionalization and device construction. A highly stable and rigid structure, with no electronic communication between the donor and acceptor components, has been realized via an all-aromatic non-conjugated phenoxy spacer between the constituent chromophores. The selection of donor naphthalene derivatives for attachment with perylene derivatives was based on the effective matching of their respective optical properties to achieve efficient excitation energy transfer (EET) by the Förster mechanism. A comprehensive study of the excited-state dynamics, in toluene, revealed quantitative and ultrafast (ca. 1 ps) intramolecular EET from donor naphthalene chromophores to the acceptor perylenes in all the studied systems. Electron transfer from the donor naphthalene chromophores to the acceptor perylenes has not been observed, not even for antenna systems in which this process is thermodynamically allowed. Due to the combination of an efficient and fast energy transfer along with broad absorption in the visible region, these antenna systems are promising materials for solar-to-electric and solar-to-fuel devices.

Novel derivatives of 1,6,7,12-tetrachloroperylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid: synthesis, electrochemical and optical properties

Facile synthesis and opto-electrochemical properties of various unsymmetrically “peri”-substituted perylene derivatives, with four chloro-atoms at the bay-positions, have been reported.

Direct alkylthio-functionalization of unsubstituted perylenediimides

A simple fluoride-mediated reaction allows the synthesis of 1,6-dialkylthioperylenediimides from unsubstituted perylenediimides under very mild conditions.

Ultrafast, Light-Induced Electron Transfer in a Perylene Diimide Chromophore-Donor Assembly on TiO2

Surface-bound, perylenediimide (PDI)-based molecular assemblies have been synthesized on nanocrystalline TiO2 by reaction of a dianhydride with a surface-bound aniline and succinimide bonding. In a second step, the Fe(II) polypyridyl complex [Fe(II)(tpy-PhNH2)2](2+) was added to the outside of the film, also by succinimide bonding. Ultrafast transient absorption measurements in 0.1 M HClO4 reveal that electron injection into TiO2 by (1)PDI* does not occur, but rather leads to the ultrafast formation of the redox-separated pair PDI(•+),PDI(•-), which decays with complex kinetics (τ1 = 0.8 ps, τ2 = 15 ps, and τ3 = 1500 ps). With the added Fe(II) polypyridyl complex, rapid (<25 ps) oxidation of Fe(II) by the PDI(•+),PDI(•-) redox pair occurs to give Fe(III),PDI(•-) persisting for >400 μs in the film environment.

Arylmercapto Substituted Tetraazaperopyrene Derivatives and Their Oxidation to Tetrasulfones: Photophysics and Electrochemistry

Fourfold arylmercapto substituted tetraazaperopyrene (TAPP) derivatives were obtained by direct nucleophilic substitution of the tetrabrominated TAPP or via Cu-catalyzed S-C coupling. These new materials display a characteristic bathochromic shift of their visible absorption and emission bands by ca. 200 nm compared to the unsubstituted parent compound. Two of the sulfide derivatives were oxidized with periodate to give their corresponding sulfones.

Halochromic and hydrochromic squaric acid functionalized perylene bisimide

A squaric acid functionalized perylene bisimide senses solvent polarity, pH and humidity through the intramolecular charge transfer initiated by protonation/deprotonation.

A conformationally stressed novel ball-type perylenediimide appended zinc(ii)phthalocyanine hybrid: spectroelectrochemical, electrocolorimetric and photovoltaic properties

The ZnPc-perylenediimide hybrid displayed a well-defined electrochromic behaviour and the best photovoltaic conversion efficiency observed with a Pc-based organic solar cell.

Submillisecond-lived photoinduced charge separation in a fully conjugated phthalocyanine–perylenebenzimidazole dyad

A fully electronically conjugated phthalocyanine–perylenemonoimidebenzimidazole system has been synthesized, in which the conjugation goes through the imide position of the perylene.

Synthesis and photophysical properties of novel phthalocyanine–perylenediimide–phthalocyanine triad and phthalocyanine–perylenediimide dyads

Three novel multi-component chromophores based on phthalocyanine and perylenediimide moieties were synthesized by one condensation reaction.

Enhanced photoinduced electron-transfer reduction of Li(+)@C60 in comparison with C60

Kinetics of photoinduced electron transfer from a series of electron donors to the triplet excited state of lithium ion-encapsulated C60 (Li(+)@C60) was investigated in comparison with the corresponding kinetics of the photoinduced electron transfer to the triplet excited state of pristine C60. Femtosecond laser flash photolysis measurements of Li(+)@C60 revealed that singlet excited state of Li(+)@C60 (λmax = 960 nm) underwent intersystem crossing to the triplet excited state [(3)(Li(+)@C60)*: λmax = 750 nm] with a rate constant of 8.9 × 10(8) s(-1) in deaerated benzonitrile (PhCN). The lifetime of (3)(Li(+)@C60)* was determined by nanosecond laser flash photolysis measurements to be 48 μs, which is comparable to that of C60. Efficient photoinduced electron transfer from a series of electron donors to (3)(Li(+)@C60)* occurred to produce the radical cations and Li(+)@C60(•-). The rate constants of photoinduced electron transfer of Li(+)@C60(•-) are significantly larger than those of C60 when the rate constants are less than the diffusion-limited value in PhCN. The enhanced reactivity of (3)(Li(+)@C60)* as compared with (3)C60* results from the much higher one-electron reduction potential of Li(+)@C60 (0.14 V vs SCE) than that of C60 (-0.43 V vs SCE). The rate constants of photoinduced electron transfer reactions of Li(+)@C60 and C60 were evaluated in light of the Marcus theory of electron transfer to determine the reorganization energies of electron transfer. The reorganization energy of electron transfer of Li(+)@C60 was determined from the driving force dependence of electron transfer rate to be 1.01 eV, which is by 0.28 eV larger than that of C60 (0.73 eV), probably because of the change in electrostatic interaction of encapsulated Li(+) upon electron transfer in PhCN.