Controlling the Twisted Intramolecular Charge-Transfer Character of Pyrene Derivatives Through Solvent Polarity

Intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) plays a critical role in determining the photophysical properties of organic molecules, including their luminescence efficiencies. Twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) is a process in which structural change accompanies ICT. Despite significant research, the relationship between TICT and solvent polarity, and its effects on photophysical properties, have been rarely investigated. Herein, we used time-resolved spectroscopy to study TICT in pyrene derivatives that are promising blue organic light emitting diode (OLED) emitter candidates; these derivatives show strong solvent-dependent charge-transfer (CT) behavior. Slight structural changes that do not affect excited state dynamics were observed in nonpolar solvents, while polar solvents were found to affect excited state dynamics and CT characteristics. The TICT behavior of these pyrene derivatives could be modulated through structural modification. Our study provides valuable guidelines for the control of optical properties, including the luminescence efficiencies of OLED emitters that show TICT characteristics.

Schiff Base Functionalized 1,2,4-Triazole and Pyrene Derivatives for Selective and Sensitive Detection of Cu2+ in the Mixed Organic- Aqueous Media

We have prepared Schiff base functionalized 1,2,4-Triazole and Pyrene derivatives for selective, sensitive, and naked eye colorimetric detection of Cu2+ in the mixed organic- aqueous media. Amongst the 18 different metal ions studied for absorption and fluorescence titration, only Cu2+ ion encourages the modification in spectral properties of Schiff base functionalized 1,2,4-Triazole and Pyrene Probe. The stoichiometric ratio of the Probe-Cu2+ complex was determined to be 2:1 according to Job’s plot. The lower detection limit estimated for Cu2+ is 0.234 nM which shows excellent sensitivity and selectivity of the present analytical method towards detection of Cu2+ ion in the mixed organic-aqueous media. The present approach has been successfully utilized for the quantitative determination of Cu2+ ion from environmental aqueous solution.

Oriented arrangement of simple monomers enabled by confinement: towards living supramolecular polymerization

The living supramolecular polymerization technique provides an exciting research avenue. However, in comparison with the thermodynamic spontaneous nucleation, using simple monomers to realize living supramolecular polymerization is hardly possible from an energy principle. This is because the activation barrier of kinetically trapped simple monomer (nucleation step) is insufficiently high to control the kinetics of subsequent elongation. Here, with the benefit of the confinement from the layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanomaterial, various simple monomers, (such as benzene, naphthalene and pyrene derivatives) successfully form living supramolecular polymer (LSP) with length control and narrow dispersity. The degree of polymerization can reach ~6000. Kinetics studies reveal LDH overcomes a huge energy barrier to inhibit undesired spontaneous nucleation of monomers and disassembly of metastable states. The universality of this strategy will usher exploration into other multifunctional molecules and promote the development of functional LSP.

Pd(II)-catalyzed directing group-aided C-H arylation and alkylation of pyrene core. Synthesis of C1,C2- and C1,C10-disubstituted pyrene motifs

We report the application of the Pd(II)-catalyzed, directing group-aided C-H arylation/alkylation tactics to functionalize pyrene core, especially, the relatively inaccessible C2 and K-region C10 positions of pyrene core and augmentation of the library of pyrene derivatives with C1,C2- and C1,C10-disubstituted pyrene motifs. The Pd(II)-catalyzed β-C-H arylation/alkylation of the C2-position of pyrene-1-carboxamide possessing 8-aminoquinoline directing group yielded various C1,C2-disubstituted pyrenes. Similarly, the Pd(II)-catalyzed selective γ-C-H arylation/alkylation of the C10-position of N-(pyren-1-yl)picolinamide possessing picolinamide directing group yielded various C1,C10-disubstituted pyrenes. Examples of C(9)-H arylation of pyrene-1-carboxamide and the removal of the directing group after the C-H arylation/alkylation reactions were also shown. The structures of representative pyrene derivatives were confirmed by the X-ray structure analysis. Given the importance of the pyrene derivatives in various fields of chemical sciences, this report is a contribution towards augmentation of the library of pyrene derivatives with C1,C2- and C1,C10-disubstituted pyrene amide motifs.

Origin of the catalytic activity at graphite electrodes in vanadium flow batteries

For many electrochemical devices that use carbon-based materials such as electrolyzer, supercapacitors, and batteries, oxygen functional groups (OFGs) are considered essential to facilitate electron transfer. Researchers implement surface-active OFGs to improve the electrocatalytic properties of graphite felt electrodes in vanadium flow batteries. Herein, we show that graphitic defects and not OFGs are responsible for lowering the activation energy barrier and thus enhance the charge transfer properties. This is proven by a thermal deoxygenation procedure, in which specific OFGs are removed before electrochemical cycling. The electronic and microstructural changes associated with deoxygenation are studied by quasi in situ X-ray photoelectron and Raman spectroscopy. The removal of oxygen groups at basal and edge planes improves the activity by introducing new active edge sites and carbon vacancies. OFGs hinder the charge transfer at the graphite‒electrolyte interface. This is further proven by modifying the sp2 plane of graphite felt electrodes with oxygen-containing pyrene derivatives. The electrochemical evolution of OFGs and graphitic defects are studied during polarization and long-term cycling conditions. The hypothesis of increased activity caused by OFGs was refuted and hydrogenated graphitic edge sites were identified as the true reason for this increase.

Mono- and Di-Pyrene [60]Fullerene and [70]Fullerene Derivatives as Potential Components for Photovoltaic Devices

In the present work, we report the successful synthesis and characterization of six (two new) fullerene mono- and di-pyrene derivatives based on C60 and C70 fullerenes. The synthesized compounds were characterized by spectral methods (ESI-MS, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, UV-Vis, FT-IR, photoluminescence and photocurrent spectroscopy). The energy of HOMO and LUMO levels and the band gaps were determined from cyclic voltammetry and compared with the theoretical values calculated according to the DFT/B3LYP/6-31G(d) and DFT/PBE/6-311G(d,p) approach for fully optimized molecular structures at the DFT/B3LYP/6-31G(d) level. Efficiency of solar cells made of PTB7: C60 and C70 fullerene pyrene derivatives were analyzed based on the determined energy levels of the HOMO and LUMO orbitals of the derivatives as well as the extensive spectral results of fullerene derivatives and their mixtures with PTB7. As a result, we found that the electronic and spectral properties, on which the efficiency of a photovoltaic cell is believed to depend, slightly changes with the number and type of pyrene substituents on the fullerene core. The efficiency of constructed solar cells largely depends on the homogeneity of the photovoltaic layer, which, in turn, is a derivative of the solubility of fullerene derivatives in the solvent used to apply these layers by spincoating.