Abstract

Three simple, controlled steps are all it takes to synthesize the title pentacene analogue DBTDT (see figure). The material's high ionization potential, high thermal and photostability, high mobilities, and an on/off ratio larger than 10⁶ at a substrate temperature of ca. 36 °C, as reported here, suggest that DBTDT will be extremely valuable for applications in plastic organic electronics.

Ribbons of an air-stable, n-type organic single-crystal semiconductor, F₁₆CuPc, are used to study photoswitches and phototransistors. High-quality, reversibly switching, fast photoswitches together with strongly photodependent field-effect phototransistors (see figure) of F₁₆CuPc are made. The high light sensitivity and large on/off ratio of the phototransistors realize a new way to detect light and magnify signals in a single organic device, indicating a future in low-cost, ultrahigh density, organic photoelectric integration.

Two small molecular chromogenic sensors 1 and 2 for detection of Hg²⁺ are described. After coordination with Hg²⁺, a red shift of about 100 nm was observed in the UV/Vis spectra and the color of the solution changed from pale yellow to red which could easily be detected by the naked eye. The results indicate a strong push-pull system was formed after coordination of Hg²⁺. The ¹H NMR spectra and control experiments showed the binding sites of 1 and 2 to be the aniline groups rather than the azine bridge. Moreover, mercury test papers were made by adsorbing 1 onto filter paper, allowing heterogeneous sensing of Hg²⁺ in aqueous solution.(© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)

A new type of molecular wire 1a–c with tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) units was synthesized and characterized. The UV–vis spectra and electrochemistry results showed that comparing with PPE, these polymers had smaller HOMO–LUMO band gap, and the HOMO level of polymer 1a (−5.05 eV) was closer to the work function energy of Au electrode. Thermal stability analyses indicated that these polymers had good thermal stability. All of the results showed that the introduction of TTF units made polymers 1a–c better candidates for molecular wires than PPE. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2707–2713, 2006

Nanostructures with tunable size and shapes are produced using a charge-transfer complex, copper tetracyanoquinodimethane (CuTCNQ). Surfaces can be coated with the charge-transfer complex nanoparticles (see Figure). These superhydrophobic coatings may be useful for constructing water/moisture-resistant and contamination-free electronic devices.