Generation and Application of Aryl Radicals Under Photoinduced Conditions.

Photoinduced aryl radical generation is a powerful strategy in organic synthesis that facilitates the formation of diverse carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds. The synthetic applications of photoinduced aryl radical formation in the synthesis of complex organic compounds, including natural products, physiologically significant molecules, and functional materials, have received immense attention. An overview of current developments in photoinduced aryl radical production methods and their uses in organic synthesis is given in this article. A generalized idea of how to choose the reagents and approach for the generation of aryl radicals is described, along with photoinduced techniques and associated mechanistic insights. Overall, this article offers a critical assessment of the mechanistic results as well as the selection of reaction parameters for specific reagents in the context of radical cascades, cross-coupling reactions, aryl radical functionalization, and selective C-H functionalization of aryl substrates.

Donor-Acceptor Covalent Organic Frameworks as a Heterogeneous Photoredox Catalyst for Scissoring Alkenes to Carbonyl Constituents.

The conversion of alkenes to carbonyl constituents via the cleavage of the C═C bond is unique due to its biological and pharmacological significance. Though a number of oxidative C═C cleavage protocols have been demonstrated for terminal and electron-rich alkene systems, none of them were optimized for electron-deficient and conjugated alkenes. In this work, a covalent organic framework containing triphenylamine and triazine units was revealed to cleave the C═C bond of alkenes under very mild conditions involving visible light irradiation due to its photoredox property. The alkenes can be conveniently broken across the double bond to their constituent carbonyl derivatives on light irradiation in the presence of air and the covalent organic framework photocatalyst. This protocol is applicable for a wide range of alkenes in an aqueous acetonitrile medium with high functional group tolerance and regioselectivity. Though the electron-deficient alkenes required tetramethylethylene diamine as a sacrificial donor, the electron-rich alkenes do not demand any additives.

Fine-Tuning of Photophysical and Electroluminescence Properties of Benzothiadiazole-Based Emitters by Methyl Substitution.

New benzothiadiazole-based materials containing methyl substitution are prepared and characterized as promising green/yellowish green emitters for electroluminescent applications. The dyes exhibited shorter wavelength absorption and emission when compared to nonmethylated dyes. A dye containing methyl group on the donor side exhibited blue shift in absorption and emission when compared to the analogous dye containing methyl group away from donor. The steric effect exerted by the methyl group is responsible for the nonplanar arrangement of donor and acceptor, which inhibited the intramolecular charge transfer. All the dyes displayed solvatochromism in the emission spectra characteristic of hybridization of local and charge transfer excited states. Due to the benefit of methyl group, the dyes restrained the formation of aggregates in the solid state. Solution processed multilayered OLED device were fabricated employing these compounds either as host emitters or dopant emitters in suitable host matrix and exhibited green/yellowish green electroluminescence with external quantum efficiency as high as 4.6% (15.7 cd A-1).

Benzimidazole-Branched Isomeric Dyes: Effect of Molecular Constitution on Photophysical, Electrochemical, and Photovoltaic Properties.

Three benzimidazole-based isomeric organic dyes possessing two triphenylamine donors and a cyanoacrylic acid acceptor are prepared by stoichiometrically controlled Stille or Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction which predominantly occurs on the N-butyl side of benzimidazole due to electronic preferences. Combined with the steric effect of the N-butyl substituent, placement of the acceptor segment at various nuclear positions of benzimidazole such as C2, C4, and C7 led to remarkable variations in intramolecular charge transfer absorption, electron injection efficiency, and charge recombination kinetics. The substitution of acceptor on the C4 led to red-shifted absorption, while that on C7 retarded the charge transfer due to twisting in the structure caused by the butyl group. Because of the cross-conjugation nature and poor electronic interaction between the donor and acceptor, the dye containing triphenylamine units on C4 and C7 and the acceptor unit on C2 showed the low oxidation potential. Thus, this dye possesses favorable HOMO and LUMO energy levels to render efficient sensitizing action in solar cells. Consequently, it results in high power conversion efficiency (5.01%) in the series with high photocurrent density and open circuit voltage. The high photocurrent generation by this dye is reasoned to it exceptional charge collection efficiency as determined from the electron impedance spectroscopy.

Phenothiazine decorated carbazoles: effect of substitution pattern on the optical and electroluminescent characteristics.

A series of thienylphenothiazine decorated carbazoles were synthesized and characterized by optical, electrochemical, thermal, and theoretical investigations. Absorption spectra of the compounds are influenced by the substitution pattern and chromophore number density. Compounds containing 2,7-substitution exhibited red-shifted absorption, while the chromophore loading on the other positions led to the increment in molar extinction coefficients due to the increase in the chromophore density. Multiple substitutions resulted in twisting of chromophores and affected the conjugative delocalization of the π-electrons, which produced shorter wavelength absorption for the 2,3,6,7-tetrasubstituted derivative. Interestingly, the compounds exhibited excited-state solvatochromism attributable to the structural reorganization-induced electronic perturbations. The solvatochromic data are supportive of a general solvent effect, which is further confirmed by Lippert-Mataga correlation. End-capping with butterfly shaped phenothiazine restrained the formation of molecular aggregates in the solid state. All of the compounds displayed exceptional thermal stability attributable to the rigid carbazole building block. Solution processed OLED fabricated using the new materials as emitting dopants in 4,4'-bis(9H-carbazol-9-yl)biphenyl host exhibited bluish green electroluminescence.

Organic dyes containing fluorene decorated with imidazole units for dye-sensitized solar cells.

New organic dyes containing fluorene functionalized with two imidazole chromophores as donors and cyanoacrylic acid acceptors have been synthesized and successfully demonstrated as sensitizers in nanocrystalline TiO2-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The monoimidazole analogues were also synthesized for comparison. The Sommelet reaction of bromomethylated 2-bromo-9,9-diethyl-9H-fluorene produced the key precursor 7-bromo-9,9-diethyl-9H-fluorene-2,4-dicarbaldehyde required for the preparation of imidazole-functionalized fluorenes. Since the dyes possess weak donor segment, the electron-richness of the conjugation pathway dictated the optical, electrochemical, and photovoltaic properties of the dyes. The dyes served as sensitizers in DSSC and exhibited moderate efficiency up to 3.44%. The additional imidazole present on the fluorene has been found to retard the electron recombination due to the bulkier hydrophobic environment and led to high open-circuit voltage in the devices.

N-(4,4'-Dibromo-[1,1'-biphen-yl]-2-yl)benzamide.

In the title compound, C(19)H(13)Br(2)NO, the dihedral angle between the rings of the biphenyl group is 53.59 (14)°. The ring of the benzamide group is inclined to the phenyl rings of the biphenyl group by 23.87 (15) and 75.89 (15)°. There are no significant inter-molecular inter-actions in the crystal structure.

Tuning Selectivity in the Visible-Light-Promoted Coupling of Thiols with Alkenes by EDA vs TOCO Complex Formation.

The visible-light-promoted catalyst-free condition has been demonstrated for self- and cross-coupling reactions of thiols in an ambient atmosphere. Further, synthesis of ß-hydroxysulfides is accomplished under very mild conditions involving the formation of an electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complex between a disulfide and an alkene. However, the direct reaction of thiol with alkene via the formation of a thiol-oxygen co-oxidation (TOCO) complex failed to produce the desired compounds in high yields. The protocol was successful with several aryl and alkyl thiols for the formation of disulfides. However, the formation of ß-hydroxysulfides required an aromatic unit on the disulfide fragment, which supports the formation of the EDA complex during the course of the reaction. The approaches presented in this paper for the coupling reaction of thiols and the synthesis of ß-hydroxysulfides are unique and do not require toxic organic or metal catalysts.

Pyrene-fluorene hybrids containing acetylene linkage as color-tunable emitting materials for organic light-emitting diodes.

New blue- to yellow-emitting materials have been developed by incorporating fluorene-based chromophores on pyrene core with acetylene linkage and using multifold palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. Both mono- and tetrasubstituted derivatives have been synthesized and characterized. The tetrasubstituted derivatives displayed red-shifted emission when compared to the monosubstituted derivative indicative of an extended conjugation in the former. End-capping with a diphenylamine unit further red-shifted the absorption and emission profiles and imparted a weak dipolar character to the molecules. Amine-containing derivatives displayed positive solvatochromism in the fluorescence spectra indicating a more polar excited state due to an efficient charge migration from the diphenylamine donor to the pyrene π-acceptor. All of the derivatives were tested as emitting dopants with host material 4,4'-bis(9H-carbazol-9-yl)biphenyl (CBP) in a multilayered OLED and found to exhibit bright blue or yellow electroluminescence. The device utilizing 1,3,6,8-tetrasubstituted pyrene derivative as a dopant emitter displayed highest maximum luminescence 4630 cd/m(2) with power efficiency 3.8 lm/W and current efficiency 7.1 cd/A at 100 cd/m(2) attributable to the proper alignment of energy levels that led to the efficient harvesting of excitons. All of the devices exhibited color purity over a wide range of operating voltages.

2,3,6,7-Tetra-bromo-9-butyl-9H-carbazole.

In he title compound, C(16)H(13)Br(4)N, the carbazole skeleton is nearly planar [maximum deviation = 0.026 (4) Å] and makes a dihedral angle of 73.8 (4)° with the butyl chain. The butyl chain adopts a trans conformation. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by π-π stacking inter-actions [centroid-centroid distance = 3.559 (2) Å].

2,2'-Bithio-phene-3,3'-dicarbonitrile.

The complete mol-ecule of the title compound, C(10)H(4)N(2)S(2), is generated by an inversion center situated at the mid-point of the bridging C-C bond. The bithio-phene ring system is planar [maximum deviation = 0.003 (2) Å] and the central C-C bond length is 1.450 (2) Å. There are no significant inter-molecular inter-actions in the crystal structure, which is stabilized by van der Waals inter-actions.

4,4'-Dibromo-2-nitro-biphen-yl.

The title compound, C(12)H(7)Br(2)NO(2), a biphenyl derivative, displays a twisted conformation with the two benzene rings making a dihedral angle of 55.34 (14)°. The dihedral angle between the nitro group and its parent benzene ring is 26.8 (2)°. The crystal structure is stabilized by inter-molecular C-H⋯Br and C-H⋯O inter-actions, which lead to the formation of chains propagating along the c-axis direction.

N-(7-Bromo-9-butyl-9H-carbazol-2-yl)-9,9-diethyl-N,N,N-triphenyl-9H-fluorene-2,7-diamine.

In the title mol-ecule, C(51)H(46)BrN(3), the central fluorene residue is planar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.0203 Å), as is the carbazole system (r.m.s. deviation = 0.0154 Å), and these groups are almost orthogonal [dihedral angle = 79.72 (3)°]. The three-dimensional architecture is consolidated by C-H⋯π inter-actions. The butyl substituent is disordered with two sites resolved for the terminal propyl atoms; the major component had a site-occupancy factor of 0.686 (3).

N-(9,9-Dipropyl-9H-fluoren-2-yl)-7-(piperidin-1-yl)-2,1,3-benzothia-diazol-4-amine.

In the title compound, C(30)H(34)N(4)S, each of the benzothia-diazole and fluorene fused ring systems is almost planar (r.m.s. deviations = 0.010 and 0.013 Å, respectively) and they are inclined to each other with a dihedral angle of 61.69 (3)°; the S atom is directed away from the rest of the mol-ecule. Each of the benzothiadiazole ring N atoms forms a significant intra-molecular contact, i.e. N-H⋯N or C-H⋯N. In the crystal, linear supra-molecular chains along the c axis are generated by C-H⋯N inter-actions involving the tertiary amine N atom.

N,N-Dimethyl-4-[(E)-2-(3,6,7-tribromo-9-butyl-9H-carbazol-2-yl)ethen-yl]aniline.

In the title mol-ecule, C(26)H(25)Br(3)N(2), a dihedral angle of 6.15 (10)° is present between the carbazole and benzene ring systems with an E conformation about the C=C bond [1.335 (4) Å]. The butyl group is almost perpendicular to the carbazole plane [C-N-C-C torsion angle = -98.7 (3)°]. In the crystal, supra-molecular double chains along [-7,18,-16] are formed via C-H⋯Br and π-π inter-actions [centroid(carbazole five-membered ring)⋯centroid(carbazole six-membered ring) distance = 3.6333 (13) Å].

Synthesis and optical properties of acidochromic amine-substituted benzo[a]phenazines.

A new series of alkylamine- or arylamine-substituted benzo[a]phenazines have been synthesized from 1,2-naphthoquinones by employing simple sequential Michael-type addition with a variety of primary and secondary amines and the condensation reaction of the resulting amine-substituted 1,2-naphthoquinones with o-phenylenediamine. They exhibited absorption peaks originating from the charge transfer transition between the amine and pyrazine segments and benzo[a]phenazine localized π-π* transitions. Although the absorption spectra of the dyes were not significantly influenced by the nature of the solvents, addition of TFA led to a prominent red-shift in the absorption spectra owing to the protonation at the quinoxaline segment which enhanced the electron-accepting ability. The qualitative trends observed in the optical properties and acidochromism were supported by density functional theoretical computations. The dyes displayed positive solvatochromism in the emission spectra suggestive of a more polar excited state. The dyes were also characterized by a quasi-reversible reduction couple originating from the pyrazine segment which underwent shifts corresponding to electron-donating strength of the amine segment.

Solution processable indoloquinoxaline derivatives containing bulky polyaromatic hydrocarbons: synthesis, optical spectra, and electroluminescence.

New hybrid materials featuring the dipolar fragment 6H-indolo[2,3-b]quinoxaline attached to the bulkier polyaromatic hydrocarbons such as fluoranthene, triphenylene, or polyphenylated benzene have been synthesized by a two-step procedure involving Sonogashira and Diels-Alder reactions. They were characterized by absorption, emission, electrochemical, thermal, and theoretical investigations. The electronic properties of the compounds were dominated by the 6H-indolo[2,3-b]quinoxaline chromophore, and the incorporation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons reduces the chances of nonradiative deactivation processes associated with the excited state and improves the emission properties. The compounds displayed cyan emission with moderate quantum efficiency when excited at the absorption maximum. All of the compounds exhibited an irreversible reduction process corresponding to the addition of electron at the quinoxaline segment. They showed moderate thermal stability and glass transition temperature greater than 100 °C. The presence of rigid 6H-indolo[2,3-b]quinoxaline and bulkier polyaromatic hydrocarbon segments enhances the thermal stability and glass transition temperature significantly. Finally, the dyes were successfully applied as an electron-transporting and emitting layer in multilayered organic light-emitting diodes comprising a N,N'-bis(l-naphthyl)-N,N'-diphenyl-1,1'-biphenyl-4,4'-diamine hole-transporting layer. The cyan emitting devices were characterized by moderate device performance parameters.

2,7-Diaminofluorene-based organic dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells: effect of auxiliary donor on optical and electrochemical properties.

New organic dyes containing a diarylaminofluorene unit as an electron donor and cyanoacrylic acid as acceptor and anchoring group in a donor-π-donor-π-acceptor architecture have been synthesized and characterized as sensitizers for nanocrystalline TiO(2)-based dye-sensitized solar cells. They have shown three major electronic absorptions originating from the π-π* and charge-transfer transitions covering the broad visible range (250-550 nm) in solution. The charge-transfer transition of the dyes exhibited negative solvatochromism, suggesting a polarized ground state. They have also displayed acidochromism in solution owing to the presence of a protonation-deprotonation equilibrium. On comparison with the triphenylamine and carbazole-based parent dyes (E)-2-cyano-3-(4-(diphenylamino)phenyl)acrylic acid and (E)-2-cyano-3-(9-ethyl-9H-carbazol-3-yl)acrylic acid they exhibited longer wavelength absorptions and facile oxidation, indicating the stronger electron-donating ability of the auxiliary chromophores. In addition, they exhibited nearly two times larger light-to-electron conversion efficiency under simulated AM 1.5 G irradiation (100 mW cm(-2)) with an aperture mask when compared to the parent dyes. Among the new dyes, the one containing the naphthylphenylamine segment showed better device characteristics attributable to the higher HOMO energy level which probably facilitates the regeneration of the dye and effective suppression of the back reaction of the injected electrons with the I(3)(-) in the electrolyte. The optical properties of the dyes were modeled using TDDFT simulations employing different theoretical models (B3LYP, CAM-B3LYP, and MPW1K), and the best correlations with the observed parameters have been found for CAM-B3LYP and MPW1K calculations. The electron lifetimes extracted from the electrochemical impedance measurements of the dye-sensitized solar cells were used to interpret the solar cell efficiency alternations.

Pyrene-based organic dyes with thiophene containing π-linkers for dye-sensitized solar cells: optical, electrochemical and theoretical investigations.

A new series of metal-free organic dyes containing pyrene and α-cyanoacrylic acid end groups and thiophene, bithiophene, thienylbenzene or thienylfluorene π-linkers were synthesized and characterized by absorption, emission and electrochemical measurements. Time-dependent density functional theoretical calculations were also performed to unravel the nature of the absorption induced electronic excitations. Extension of conjugation in the π-linker by the incorporation of phenyl or fluorene was found to enhance the molar extinction coefficient while the use of thiophene red-shifted the absorption. The longer wavelength absorption peaks found for the dyes were attributed to π-π* transition with a contribution from the charge transfer transition which becomes prominent for the bithiophene bridged derivative. The bithiophene containing dye showed moderate overall light-to-electron conversion efficiency attributable to the favorable absorption and redox properties originating due to the presence of a bithiophene segment. The trends observed for the various dyes in the device performance were rationalized by electron-impedance spectroscopy measurements.

Experimental and DFT studies of gadolinium decorated graphene oxide materials for their redox properties and as a corrosion inhibition barrier layer on Mg AZ13 alloy in a 3.5% NaCl environment.

Magnesium alloys are broadly used worldwide in various applications; however, the serious disadvantage of these alloys are subject to corrosion and in aggressive/corrosive environments. A coating containing gadolinium-based composite materials can increase the alloy protection by strong electron transfer between the host alloy and the lanthanide-containing protective layer. This investigation aims to develop a Gd nanorod functionalised graphene oxide material as a corrosion inhibition barrier on the Mg alloy surface. The obtained functional materials were characterised by various spectroscopy techniques. The corrosion inhibition and composite material stability were studied by the electrochemical methods. The electrochemical stability was shown to increase with the applied current. The hydrogen evolution constantly increased and the corrosion inhibition significantly improved. Also, the computational studies of the material were performed, and their results support the experimental findings. Overall, the resultant composite material's corrosion resistance and cyclic stability are improved, and it could be used as a sodium-ion battery cathode material due to its high reversibility.