Directed metalation cascade to access highly functionalized thieno[2,3-f]benzofuran and exploration as building blocks for organic electronics.

A tandem directed metalation has been successfully applied to the preparation of thieno[2,3-f]benzofuran-4,8-dione, providing an efficient and facile approach to symmetrically and unsymmetrically functionalize the thieno[2,3-f]benzofuran core at the 2,6 positions as well as to introduce the electron-withdrawing or -donating groups (EWG or EDG) at its 4,8 positions. The presence of various functional groups makes late-stage derivatization attainable.

Enhanced power conversion efficiencies in bulk heterojunction solar cells based on conjugated polymer with isoindigo side chain.

A novel conjugated side-chain polymer (PBDT-TID), based on benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene (BDT) and isoindigo (ID) moieties, was designed and synthesized. The new polymer exhibited excellent microphase separation in active layers. Bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells fabricated from PBDT-TID and PC61BM showed promising power conversion efficiencies of 5.25% and 6.51% using conventional and inverted device structures, respectively.