What are the key properties and applications of the novel alkyne chromophores of isophorone derivatives (compounds I-VII)?

One study reports the design and synthesis of a new series of A-π-D molecules (III-VII) that can serve as mild electron acceptors to generate wide-bandgap p-type small compounds for use in organic field-effect transistors. It also characterizes their electrochemical, optical, and thermal properties, and investigates their semiconductor functionality and OFET properties.

The novel alkyne chromophores of isophorone derivatives (compounds I-VII) are designed as A-π-D molecules that act as mild electron acceptors for wide-bandgap p-type small compounds, suitable for use in organic field-effect transistors (OFETs).

Key properties and characteristics of these compounds include:

Electrochemical, Optical, and Thermal Properties: These properties were thoroughly characterized.

Hole Reorganization Energy (λ h ): Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicated that compounds VI and III had lower hole reorganization energy compared to the isophorone extended conjugated-based compounds (I-II).

Electron Reorganization Energy (λ e ): Conversely, compounds I and II showed lower electron reorganization energy than the fused alkyne compounds.
Device Performance: OFETs fabricated with compound VI demonstrated high mobility and low threshold voltage.

Band Gap (ΔE): The calculated band gap for these compounds ranged from 3.30 to 3.82 eV, with compound VI exhibiting the narrowest band gap among the designed structures.

Charge Injection: Compounds III and VI are considered more suitable for efficient hole injection into the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and electron injection into the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO), attributed to their lower adiabatic ionization potential (AIP) values and higher electron affinity (EA) values, respectively.

Nonlinear Optical (NLO) Properties: Compound VI shows potential as a superior NLO material due to its higher mean isotropic polarizability (α) and first-order hyperpolarizability (β tot ) values.

Thermal Stability: The thermal decomposition temperatures (Td) for compounds I-VII, with a 10% weight loss, ranged from 225.58 to 307.15 ℃, indicating their appreciable suitability for OFET applications.