Hydrogen Bonding Controls the Structural Evolution in Perovskite-Related Hybrid Platinum(IV) Iodides.

We describe the solid-state structural evolution in four hybrid hexaiodoplatinate(IV) compounds, demonstrating the increasingly important role that extended hydrogen bonding plays in directing the structure across the series. The compounds are A2PtI6, where A is one of the following amines: ammonium, NH4+; methylammonium, CH3NH3+; formamidinium, CH(NH2)2+; guanidinium, C(NH2)3+. These are closely related in structure and properties to the hybrid halide perovskites of lead(II) that have recently established their prowess in optoelectronics. The first three of these compounds crystallize in the vacancy-ordered double perovskite A2Pt□I6 (□ indicates a vacant site) structure in the K2PtCl6 archetype, despite the relatively large perovskite tolerance factors involved. The last compound, (GUA)2PtI6, crystallizes in a vacancy-ordered variant of the hexagonal CsNiCl3 structure: the K2MnF6 structure. A combination of solid-state 195Pt and 1H NMR spectroscopy and detailed density functional theory calculations helps to reveal structural trends and establish the hydrogen-bonding tendencies. The calculations and measured optical properties support the surprising observation in these iodosalt compounds that, for smaller A cations, the conduction bands are considerably disperse, despite lacking extended I-Pt-I connectivity.

Mono- and Mixed-Valence Tetrathiafulvalene Semiconductors (TTF)BiI4 and (TTF)4BiI6 with 1D and 0D Bismuth-Iodide Networks.

Two new compounds containing tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) cations with extended and discrete anions based on Bi and I are reported. The compound (TTF)BiI4 comprises [BiI2I4/2]- chains of edge-shared octahedra that are interspersed with stacks of TTF+•. The compound (TTF)4BiI6 has mixed-valence stacks of TTF and TTF+• and discrete molecules of TTF+• separated by discrete [BiI6]-3 anions. The optical and electrical transport properties of these compounds are reported. Due to the mixed-valence stacks of TTF, (TTF)4BiI6 is the significantly better electrical conductor than (TTF)BiI4, despite the discrete nature of the inorganic moiety.

Main-Group Halide Semiconductors Derived from Perovskite: Distinguishing Chemical, Structural, and Electronic Aspects.

Main-group halide perovskites have generated much excitement of late because of their remarkable optoelectronic properties, ease of preparation, and abundant constituent elements, but these curious and promising materials differ in important respects from traditional semiconductors. The distinguishing chemical, structural, and electronic features of these materials present the key to understanding the origins of the optoelectronic performance of the well-studied hybrid organic-inorganic lead halides and provide a starting point for the design and preparation of new functional materials. Here we review and discuss these distinguishing features, among them a defect-tolerant electronic structure, proximal lattice instabilities, labile defect migration, and, in the case of hybrid perovskites, disordered molecular cations. Additionally, we discuss the preparation and characterization of some alternatives to the lead halide perovskites, including lead-free bismuth halides and hybrid materials with optically and electronically active organic constituents.

High Sulfur Content Material with Stable Cycling in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

We demonstrate a novel crosslinked disulfide system as a cathode material for Li-S cells that is designed with the two criteria of having only a single point of S-S scission and maximizing the ratio of S-S to the electrochemically inactive framework. The material therefore maximizes theoretical capacity while inhibiting the formation of polysulfide intermediates that lead to parasitic shuttle. The material we report contains a 1:1 ratio of S:C with a theoretical capacity of 609 mAh g-1 . The cell gains capacity through 100 cycles and has 98 % capacity retention thereafter through 200 cycles, demonstrating stable, long-term cycling. Raman spectroscopy confirms the proposed mechanism of disulfide bonds breaking to form a S-Li thiolate species upon discharge and reforming upon charge. Coulombic efficiencies near 100 % for every cycle, suggesting the suppression of polysulfide shuttle through the molecular design.

Infinite Polyiodide Chains in the Pyrroloperylene-Iodine Complex: Insights into the Starch-Iodine and Perylene-Iodine Complexes.

We report the preparation and X-ray crystallographic characterization of the first crystalline homoatomic polymer chain, which is part of a semiconducting pyrroloperylene-iodine complex. The crystal structure contains infinite polyiodide I∞ (δ-) . Interestingly, the structure of iodine within the insoluble, blue starch-iodine complex has long remained elusive, but has been speculated as having infinite chains of iodine. Close similarities in the low-wavenumber Raman spectra of the title compound and starch-iodine point to such infinite polyiodide chains in the latter as well.

Tethered bisadducts of C60 and C70 with addends on a common hexagonal face and a 12-membered hole in the fullerene cage.

The regioselective synthesis of easily isolable pure bismethano derivatives of C60 and C70 with high steric congestion is described using 1,3-dibenzoylpropane bis-p-toluenesulfonyl hydrazone as the addend precursor. When the addition occurs at two [6,6] ring junctions within the same hexagon, bisadducts with mirror symmetry are obtained for both C60 and C70. When the addition occurs at two [5,6] ring junctions in C60, a symmetrical adduct is formed, which readily undergoes photo-oxygenation and ring opening to yield a fullerene with a hole in the cage. In this work, we also propose a simple and general system to name all of the possible [6,6] bisadduct isomers on C70.

Polyimide dendrimers containing multiple electron donor-acceptor units and their unique photophysical properties.

A high-yielding synthesis of a series of polyimide dendrimers, including decacyclene- and perylene-containing dendrimer D6, in which two types of polyimide dyes are present, is reported. In these constructs, the branching unit is represented by trisphenylamine, and the solubilizing chains by N-9-heptadecanyl-substituted perylene diimides. The photophysical properties of the dendrimers have been studied by absorption, steady-state, and time-resolved emission spectroscopy and pump-probe transient absorption spectroscopy. Photoinduced charge-separated (CS) states are formed on the femtosecond timescale upon visible excitation. In particular, in D6, two different CS states can be formed, involving different subunits that decays independently with different lifetimes (ca. 10-100 ps).

Striking effect of intra- versus intermolecular hydrogen bonding on zwitterions: physical and electronic properties.

We report the synthesis, characterization, and application of novel zwitterions. The zwitterionic structures consist of a positively charged cyanine and negatively charged dienolate moieties, confirmed by experimental observations and theoretical calculations. Single crystal X-ray studies revealed that BIT-(NPh)2 is a coplanar molecule that forms 1-D chains via π-π interactions. In contrast, BIT-(NHexyl)2 is a twisted molecule with a dihedral angle of 78° between the charged planes. In charge transport studies, thin films of the flat zwitterion show semiconducting properties, with a hole mobility of 2.1 × 10(-4) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) while the twisted zwitterion is a high resistivity insulator.

Twisted but conjugated: building blocks for low bandgap polymers.

Here we report a novel twisted monomer based on a distorted CC double bond for low bandgap conjugated copolymers. This new building block provides several unique characteristics when compared to classical planar systems such as high solubility, electron accepting ability, and isomeric tunability. The resulting copolymers exhibit broad absorption spanning both visible and near-infrared regions leading to promising solar cell performance.

Enhancement of the photoresponse in organic field-effect transistors by incorporating thin DNA layers.

A mechanistic study of the DNA interfacial layer that enhances the photoresponse in n-type field-effect transistors (FET) and lateral photoconductors using a solution-processed fullerene derivative embedded with disperse-red dye, namely PCBDR, is reported. Incorporation of the thin DNA layer simultaneously leads to increasing the electron injection from non-Ohmic contacts into the PCBDR active layer in dark and to increasing the photocurrent under irradiation. Such features lead to the observation of the enhancement of the photoresponsivity in PCBDR FETs up to 10(3) . Kelvin probe microscopy displays that in the presence of the DNA layer, the surface potential of PCBDR has a greater change in response to irradiation, which is rationalized by a larger number of photoinduced surface carriers. Transient absorption spectroscopy confirms that the increase in photoinduced carriers in PCBDR under irradiation is primarily ascribed to the increase in exciton dissociation rates through the PCBDR/DNA interface and this process can be assisted by the interfacial dipole interaction.

N-alkyldinaphthocarbazoles, azaheptacenes, for solution-processed organic field-effect transistors.

Substituted N-alkyldinaphthocarbazoles were synthesized using a key double Diels-Alder reaction. The angular nature of the dinaphthocarbazole system allows for increased stability of the conjugated system relative to linear analogues. The N-alkyldinaphthocarbazoles were characterized by UV-vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy as well as cyclic voltammetry. X-ray structure analysis based on synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction revealed that the N-dodecyl-substituted compound was oriented in an intimate herringbone packing motif, which allowed for p-type mobilities of 0.055 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) from solution-processed organic field-effect transistors.

Polymer-fullerene miscibility: a metric for screening new materials for high-performance organic solar cells.

The improvement of the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of polymer bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells has generally been achieved through synthetic design to control frontier molecular orbital energies and molecular ordering of the electron-donating polymer. An alternate approach to control the PCE of a BHJ is to tune the miscibility of the fullerene and a semiconducting polymer by varying the structure of the fullerene. The miscibility of a series of 1,4-fullerene adducts in the semiconducting polymer, poly(3-hexylselenophene), P3HS, was measured by dynamic secondary ion mass spectrometry using a model bilayer structure. The microstructure of the bilayer was investigated using high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission microscopy and linked to the polymer-fullerene miscibility. Finally, P3HS:fullerene BHJ solar cells were fabricated from each fullerene derivative, enabling the correlation of the active layer microstructure to the charge collection efficiency and resulting PCE of each system. The volume fraction of polymer-rich, fullerene-rich, and polymer-fullerene mixed domains can be tuned using the miscibility leading to improvement in the charge collection efficiency and PCE in P3HS:fullerene BHJ solar cells. These results suggest a rational approach to the design of fullerenes for improved BHJ solar cells.

Patterning organic single-crystal transistor arrays.

Field-effect transistors made of organic single crystals are ideal for studying the charge transport characteristics of organic semiconductor materials. Their outstanding device performance, relative to that of transistors made of organic thin films, makes them also attractive candidates for electronic applications such as active matrix displays and sensor arrays. These applications require minimal cross-talk between neighbouring devices. In the case of thin film systems, simple patterning of the active semiconductor layer minimizes cross-talk. But when using organic single crystals, the only approach currently available for creating arrays of separate devices is manual selection and placing of individual crystals-a process prohibitive for producing devices at high density and with reasonable throughput. In contrast, inorganic crystals have been grown in extended arrays, and efficient and large-area fabrication of silicon crystalline islands with high mobilities for electronic applications has been reported. Here we describe a method for effectively fabricating large arrays of single crystals of a wide range of organic semiconductor materials directly onto transistor source-drain electrodes. We find that film domains of octadecyltriethoxysilane microcontact-printed onto either clean Si/SiO(2) surfaces or flexible plastic provide control over the nucleation of vapour-grown organic single crystals. This allows us to fabricate large arrays of high-performance organic single-crystal field-effect transistors with mobilities as high as 2.4 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and on/off ratios greater than 10(7), and devices on flexible substrates that retain their performance after significant bending. These results suggest that our fabrication approach constitutes a promising step that might ultimately allow us to utilize high-performance organic single-crystal field-effect transistors for large-area electronics applications.

Ribbons, vesicles, and baskets: supramolecular assembly of a coil-plate-coil emeraldicene derivative.

Concentration matters: the self-assembly of title compound 1 evolves from well-defined ribbons to vesicles to baskets, upon simply decreasing the concentration of 1 in tetrahydrofuran. Electron microscopy revealed a unique self-assembled structure: baskets are formed by curved and self-wrapped nanometer-thin ribbons. The self-assembly of π-conjugated molecule 1 enables to construct nano/micro structures with desired optoelectronic properties.

High performance weak donor-acceptor polymers in thin film transistors: effect of the acceptor on electronic properties, ambipolar conductivity, mobility, and thermal stability.

We have studied the electronic, physical, and transistor properties of a family of donor-acceptor polymers consisting of diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) coupled with different accepting companion units in order to determine the effects of donor-acceptor interaction. Using the electronically neutral benzene (B), the weakly accepting benzothiadiazole (BT), and the strongly accepting benzobisthiadiazole (BBT), the accepting strength of the companion unit was systematically modulated. All polymers exhibited excellent transistor performance, with mobilities above 0.1 cm(2)V(-1)s(-1), even exceeding 1 cm(2)V(-1)s(-1) for one of the BBT-containing polymers. We find that the BBT is the strongest acceptor, enabling the BBT-containing polymers to be strongly ambipolar. The BBT moiety also strengthens interchain interactions, which provides higher thermal stability and performance for transistors with BBT-containing polymers as the active layer.

Observations of PDDTT subject to thermal treatment: correlation between performance and order.

We show that polybis(thienyl)thienodia-thiazolethiophene (PDDTT), a high-performance semiconducting polymer for photodetectors and field-effect transistors, has strong performance dependence on annealing temperature. An unprecedented increase of 3 orders of magnitude is observed in both transistor and photoconductive properties. XRD and AFM evidence points to increased ordering in PDDTT films with annealing. This correlation highlights the importance that order has in determining performance in PDDTT and has possible implications in the design of polymers.

Electron-accepting dithiarubicene (emeraldicene) and derivatives prepared by unprecedented nucleophilic hydrogen substitution by alkyllithium reagents.

By understanding the role of DMF as a hydride source via a Pd-catalyzed reaction and switching to CH(3)CN solvent, an efficient route for the synthesis of emeraldicene and some new substituted derivatives is reported with potential application in organic electronics. Additionally, the nucleophilic alkylation of emeraldicene 4 a with alkyllithium reagents provides monosubstituted compounds 7 a and 7 b, the latter crystallizing in columnar stacks, with π-π overlap between adjacent molecules in the stack.

"Deconvoluted fullerene" derivatives: synthesis and characterization.

We have designed the synthesis of "deconvoluted fullerene" derivatives that present an ordered pattern of hexagons and pentagons in the backbone of the molecule. We not only mimicked the fullerene structure in dihedral planes, but also preserved its electron accepting behavior and enlarged its optical absorption. Moreover, very preliminary photoluminescence (PL) quenching experiments also confirmed the potentiality of these materials as acceptors in the field of organic photovoltaics (OPV)s. A brief discussion of the surface morphology, based on AFM analysis, is also presented.

Ethoxycarbonyl-based organic electrode for Li-batteries.

Currently, batteries are being both considered and utilized in a variety of large-scale applications. Materials sustainability stands as a key issue for future generations of batteries. One alternative to the use of a finite supply of mined materials is the use of renewable organic materials. However, before addressing issues regarding the sustainability of a given organic electrode, fundamental questions relating to the structure-function relationships between organic components and battery performance must first be explored. Herein we report the synthesis, characterization, and device performance of an organic salt, lithium 2,6-bis(ethoxycarbonyl)-3,7-dioxo-3,7-dihydro-s-indacene-1,5-bis(olate), capable of reversibly intercalating with minimal polarization 1.8 Li per unit formula over two main voltage plateaus located at approximately 1.96 and approximately 1.67 V (vs. Li/Li(+)), leading to an overall capacity of 125 mAh/g. Proton NMR and in situ XRD analyses of battery cycling versus Li at room temperature reveal that the insertion-deinsertion process is fully reversible with the dips in the voltage-composition traces, which are associated with changes in the 3D structural packing of the electrochemically active molecules.