Systematic elongation of thienyl linkers and their effect on optical and electrochemical properties in carbazole-BODIPY donor-acceptor systems

Synthesis, spectral and electrochemical properties of a series of new panchromatic BODIPY donor-acceptor-donor derivatives, comprising carbazole conjugated with systematically elongated framework by thiophene-based linkers were investigated. It has been found that elongation of the π-system with one thiophene unit shifts the spectra toward near infrared, while incorporation of next thiophene derivatives has only limited influence on the lowest energy transition, causing no further shift of absorption maxima. Elongation of π-conjugation of the donor arm tunes the electron properties, influencing the ionization potential (IP) and electron affinity (EA) values of the molecules. The experimental results are supported by quantum chemical computations revealing that electron density of SOMO orbital is low at the 3-positions of terminal carbazole units in BODIPY push-pull oligomers while elongating their backbone, thus preventing them to undergo electrochemical polymerization giving reversibly p- and n-dopable products. Presented study tests the influence and limitations of incorporation of electron-rich substituents for designing panchromatic BODIPY systems

Mono and di-substituted BODIPY with electron donating carbazole, thiophene, and 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene units

In an effort to extend the conjugation system of boron-dipyrrin (BODIPY), the dye was coupled with polymerisable units of carbazole, alkylthiophene, and 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT). Due to electron donating character of the units connected to the strong electron accepting segment of tri-coordinated boron, the optical and electrochemical properties of the dye changed, and followed the strength of the electron donating substituent. All studied compounds exhibited electroactivity in both anodic and cathodic potential ranges, however, electropolymerisation was only observed for BODIPY modified with EDOT, leading to trimeric and tetrameric substituents. Potential controlled optical changes (spectroelectrochemistry) and in situ spin density distribution measurements, supported by quantum chemical calculations using density functional theory, were undertaken in order to understand the reversibility of the electrochemical processes. Hyperfine split ESR spectra of the radical anion species were successfully modelled revealing intriguing, hyperconjugation type unpaired spin delocalisation patterns