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ansa-Ferrocenes with pyrazabole bridges are chemically robust entities and therefore suitable building blocks for the synthesis of rigid-rod polymers that combine redox-active Fe(II) centers and beltene-like π faces. The specific monomers we developed bear OEt groups at both tetracoordinated boron atoms (for solubility reasons) and ethynyl substituents at the 4-positions of the two pyrazole rings. Polymerization was accomplished by a condensation reaction with 1,4-diiodobenzene using a Sonogashira–Hagihara-type protocol. As a result, oligomers with a number-average molecular weight of Mn = 7.6 kDa and dispersity of Ð = 1.55 were obtained, suggesting an average chain length of about 14 repeating units based on gel permeation chromatography analysis in THF relative to narrow polystyrene standards. The molecular weight determination was complemented by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and (heteronuclear) NMR spectroscopy to verify the intact pyrazabole monomer repeat units and the nature of the end groups. The oligomers were further characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry, which demonstrated the successful synthesis of a new class of redox-active materials.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are prominent lead structures for organic optoelectronic materials. This work describes the synthesis of three B,S-doped PAHs with heptacene-type scaffolds via nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions between fluorinated arylborane precursors and 1,2-(Me3SiS)2C6H4/1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (72-92% yield). All compounds contain tricoordinate B atoms at their 7,16-positions, kinetically protected by mesityl (Mes) substituents. PAHs 1/2 feature two/four S atoms at their 5,18-/5,9,14,18-positions; PAH 3 is a 6,8,15,17-tetrafluoro derivative of 2. For comparison, we also prepared the skewed naphtho[2,3-c]pentaphene-type isomer 4. The simultaneous presence of electron-accepting B atoms and electron-donating S atoms results in a redox-ambiphilic behavior; the radical cations [1•]+ and [2•]+ were characterized by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Several low-lying charge-transfer states exist, some of which (especially S-to-B and Mes-to-B transitions) compete on the excited-state potential-energy surface. Consistent with the calculated state characters and oscillator strengths, this competition results in a spread of fluorescence quantum yields (2-27%). The optoelectronic properties of 1 change drastically upon addition of Ag+ ions: while the color of 1 in CH2Cl2 changes bathochromically from yellow to red (λmax from 463 to 486 nm; -0.13 eV), the emission band shifts hypsochromically from 606 to 545 nm (+0.23 eV), and the fluorescence quantum yield increases from 12 to 43%. According to titration experiments, higher order adducts [Agn1m]n+ are formed. As a suitable system for modeling Ag+ complexation, our calculations predict a dimer structure (n = m = 2) with Ag2S4 core, approximately linear S-Ag-S fragments, and Ag-Ag interaction. The computed optoelectronic properties of [Ag212]2+ agree well with the experimentally observed ones. published

Main-chain boron-containing π-conjugated polymers are attractive for organic electronic, sensing, and imaging applications. Alternating terthiophene-borane polymers were prepared and the effects of regioisomeric attachment of the conjugated linker and variations in the electronic effect of the pendent aryl groups (2,4,6-tritert-butylphenyl, Mes*; 2,4,6-tris(trifluoromethyl)phenyl, FMes) examined. Pd2dba3/P(t-Bu)3-catalyzed Stille polymerization of arylbis(2-thienyl)borane and arylbis(3-thienylborane) with 2,5-bis(trimethylstannyl)thiophene at 120 ºC gave polymers with appreciable molecular weight but MALDI-TOF MS analyses showed evidence of unusually prominent homocoupling. These defects could be suppressed by using brominated rather than iodinated monomers, more hindered 2,5-bis(tri-n-butylstannyl)thiophene as comonomer, and Pd2dba3/P(o-tol)3 as the catalyst at 100 ºC. Under these conditions, macrocyclic species with n = 3 - 10 repeating units formed preferentially according to MALDI-TOF MS analyses. Photophysical studies revealed a prominent effect of the regiochemistry and the nature of the pendent aryl groups on the absorption and emission, giving rise to orange, yellow-green, blue-green, and blue emissive materials respectively. The electronic effects were rationalized through DFT calculations on bis(terthiophene) model systems.

B-N-fused dianthracenylpyrazine derivatives are synthesized to generate new low gap chromophores. Photophysical and electrochemical, crystal packing, and theoretical studies have been performed. Two energetically similar conformers are identified by density functional theory calculations, showing that the core unit adopts a curved saddle-like shape (

Ultralong afterglow emissions due to room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) are of paramount importance in the advancement of smart sensors, bioimaging and light-emitting devices. We herein present an efficient approach to achieve rarely accessible phosphorescence of heavy atom-free organoboranes via photochemical switching of sterically tunable fluorescent Lewis pairs (LPs). LPs are widely applied in and well-known for their outstanding performance in catalysis and supramolecular soft materials but have not thus far been exploited to develop photo-responsive RTP materials. The intramolecular LP M1BNM not only shows a dynamic response to thermal treatment due to reversible N→B coordination but crystals of M1BNM also undergo rapid photochromic switching. As a result, unusual emission switching from short-lived fluorescence to long-lived phosphorescence (rad-M1BNM, τ

The reaction of 4-(dibromoboryl)styrene with 2-pyridylmagnesium chloride resulted in the formation of 4-styryl-tris(2-pyridyl)borate free acid (StTypb), a new polymerizable nonpyrazolyl “scorpionate” ligand. StTypb did not undergo self-initiated polymerization under ambient conditions and proved to slowly polymerize through standard radical polymerization at 90 °C. Nitroxide-mediated polymerization (NMP) of StTypb at 135 °C proceeded with good control, resulting in a polymer of Mn = 27400 and PDI = 1.21. The TEMPO-terminated homopolymer successfully initiated the polymerization of styrene, generating an amphiphilic block copolymer with DPn of 1200 and 78 for the PS and the StTypb block, respectively. A similar block copolymer with DPn of 29 and 20 for the PS and the StTypb block respectively was obtained in a reverse polymerization procedure from a PS macroinitiator. The self-assembly of these block copolymers was examined in selective solvents and preliminary metal complexation studies were performed.

The introduction of unconventional elements into π-conjugated systems has been studied to manipulate the electronic states and properties of compounds. Herein, boron- and germanium-containing hybrid macrocycles, as a new class of element-hybrid conjugated systems, have been synthesized. The palladium-catalyzed Stille cross coupling of bis(bromothienyl)borane and bis(trimethylstannylthienyl)- or bis(trimethylstannylphenyl)-substituted dithienogermoles as the boron- and germanium-containing building blocks, respectively, produced a mixture of several macrocyclic compounds. Single-crystal X-ray analysis of the 2:2 coupling product revealed a planar structure with a cavity inside the macrocycle. The optical properties of the macrocyclic products indicated rather small electronic interactions between the building units. However, intramolecular photoenergy transfer from the dithienogermole unit to the boron unit was clearly observed with respect to the fluorescence spectra.

Donor−π–acceptor compounds based on arylamine and arylborane moieties connected by a π-conjugated linker are attractive materials in organic electronics and imaging applications due to the strong c...

The extension of conjugated organoboranes from monomeric species to oligomers, macrocycles, and polymers offers access to a plethora of fascinating new materials. The p-π* conjugation between empty orbitals on boron and the conjugated linkers not only affects the electronic structure and optical properties, but also enables mutual interactions between electron-deficient boron centers. The unique properties of these electron-deficient π-conjugated systems are exploited in highly luminescent materials, organic optoelectronic devices, and sensing applications.

Two novel luminescent triarylborane polymeric Lewis acids and the corresponding molecular model compounds were prepared, studies on their photophysical properties performed, and applications as sup...

We introduce a new boron-doped cyclophane, the hexabora[16 ]cyclophane B6-F Mes, in which six tricoordinate borane moieties alternate with short conjugated p-phenylene linkers. Exocyclic 2,4,6-tris(trifluoromethyl)phenyl (F Mes) groups serve not only to further withdraw electron density but at the same time sterically shield the boron atoms, resulting in a macrocycle that is both highly electron-deficient and stable. The optical and electronic properties are compared with those of related linear oligomers and the electronic structure is further evaluated by computational methods. The studies uncover unique properties of B6-F Mes, including a low-lying and extensively delocalized LUMO and a wide HOMO-LUMO gap, which arise from the combination of a cyclic π-system, strong electronic communication between the closely spaced borons, and the attachment of electron-deficient pendent groups. The binding of small anions to the electron-deficient macrocycle and molecular model compounds is investigated and emissive exciplexes are detected in aromatic solvents.

Although a wide variety of boron-based "scorpionate" ligands have been implemented, a modular route that offers facile access to different substitution patterns at boron has yet to be developed. Here, we demonstrate new reactivity patterns at the bridgehead positions of a ruthenium tris(pyrid-2-yl)borate complex that allow for facile tuning of steric and electronic properties.

The functionalization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) via B←N Lewis pair formation offers an opportunity to judiciously fine-tune the structural features and optoelectronic properties, to suit the demands of applications in organic electronic devices, bioimaging, and as sensitizers for singlet oxygen. We demonstrate that the N-directed electrophilic borylation of 2,6-di(pyrid-2-yl)anthracene offers access to linearly extended acene derivatives Py-BR (R = Et, Ph, C6F5). In comparison to indeno-fused 9,10-diphenylanthracene, the formal "BN for CC" replacement in Py-BR selectively lowers the LUMO, resulting in a much reduced HOMO-LUMO gap. An even more extended conjugated system with seven six-membered rings in a row (Qu-BEt) is obtained by borylation of 2,6-di(quinolin-8-yl)anthracene. Fluorinated Py-BPf shows particularly advantageous properties, including low-lying HOMO and LUMO levels, strong yellow-green fluorescence, and effective singlet oxygen sensitization, while resisting self-sensitized conversion to its endoperoxide.

The functionalization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) via B←N Lewis pair formation offers an opportunity to judiciously fine-tune the structural features and optoelectronic properties, to suit the demands of applications in organic electronic devices, bioimaging, and as sensitizers for singlet oxygen generation. We demonstrate that the N-directed electrophilic borylation of 2,6-di(pyrid-2-yl)anthracene offers access to linearly extended acene derivatives Py-BR (R=Et, Ph, C

Harvesting high-energy excited-state energy is still challenging in organic chromophores. An introduction of boron atoms along the short axis of the diazapentacene backbone induces multiple emission characteristics. Our studies reveal that the weak molecular orbital (MO) coupling of the S3-S1 transition is responsible for the slow internal conversion rates. Such MO coupling-regulated anti-Kasha emission is different from the large band gap-induced anti-Kasha emission character of classical azulene derivatives. Theoretical studies reveal that a strong MO coupling of the S3-S0 transition is responsible for the higher photoluminescence quantum yield of the anti-Kasha emission in a more polar solution (tetrahydrofuran: 11%; cyclohexane: 0%). Such an MO coupling factor is generally overlooked in anti-Kasha emitters reported previously. Furthermore, the multiple emission can be regulated by solvent polarity, solvent temperature, and fluoride anion binding. As a proof of concept of harvesting high-energy emission, the multiple emission character has allowed us to design single-molecule white-light-emitting materials.

Polycationic macrocycles are attractive as they display unique molecular switching capabilities arising from their redox properties. Although diverse polycationic macrocycles have been developed, those based on cationic boron systems remain very limited. We present herein the development of novel polycationic macrocycles by introducing organoboronium moieties into a conjugated organoboron macrocyclic framework. These macrocycles consist of four bipyridylboronium units that are connected by fluorene and either electron-deficient arylborane or electron-rich arylamine moieties. Electrochemical studies reveal that the macrocycles undergo reversible multi-step redox processes with transfer of up to 10 electrons. Switchable electrochromic behavior is demonstrated via spectroelectrochemical studies and the observed color changes are rationalized by correlation with computed electronic transitions using DFT methods.

Classical Lewis pairs (LPs) between unhindered electron-poor Lewis acids (LAs) and electron-rich Lewis bases (LBs) present an overlooked motif with tremendous potential as dynamic cross-links in transient polymer networks (TPNs) for self-healing and stimuli-responsive applications. We demonstrate that simple and intuitive matching of weak/strong organoborane LA and amine LB pairs offers access to a large set of binding equilibrium constants

Given that pyrene represents one of the most versatile chromophores, the development of new selective routes for its functionalization and tuning of its emission properties is highly desirable. Pyrene-based BN Lewis pair (LP)-functionalized polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were prepared by regioselective Lewis base-directed electrophilic aromatic substitution. The requisite 1,6-dipyridylpyrene ligands were accessed by Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of 1,6-bis(pinacolatoboryl)pyrenes with 2-bromopyridine derivatives. Subsequent electrophilic borylation with BCl3 in the presence of AlCl3 and 2,6-di-tert-butylpyridine as a hindered base produced the dichloroborane complexes, which were then in situ reacted with diphenyl or diethyl zinc. The presence or absence of alkyl chains in the 3,8-positions of the pyrene moiety determined the position of the B-C bond formation (2,7 in the non-K region versus 5,10 in the K region) and thereby also the size of the BN heterocycle (five- versus six-membered). The impact of the regioisomeric borylation on the electrochemical, photophysical and structural properties was investigated and the conclusions supported by theoretical calculations. The rapid synthesis of derivatives that are borylated in the K region also suggests strong potential for the development of pyrene derivatives that are otherwise difficult to access.

Azaborinine-substituted polymers are poised to dramatically expand the diversity and functionality of polystyrenes via BN for CC substitution, but this new class of materials remains underexplored....

Tin–mercury exchange represents one of the most versatile and cleanest routes to arylmercuric halides. We found that reaction of the ferrocenylstannane 1,2-Fc(PPh2)(SnMe3) (1) with HgCl2 in acetone results in the unexpected spontaneous formation of 2·HgCl2, a diferrocenylmercury (Fc2Hg)-supported diphosphine chelate ligand as its HgCl2 complex. Mechanistic investigations into the generation of 2·HgCl2 reveal initial formation of an adduct of 1 with HgCl2, followed by competitive Sn–Me and Sn–Fc bond cleavage with formation of chloromercury and chlorodimethylstannyl-substituted ferrocene species. When the reaction is performed in chloroform as a noncoordinating solvent, formation of 2·HgCl2 is not observed, but instead 1,2-Fc(PPh2)(SnMe2Cl) (5) is generated as the major product. 5 is initially isolated as a complex with MeHgCl (generated as a byproduct), but the latter can be easily released by heating under high vacuum. When 5 is further reacted with 2 equiv of HgCl2 in acetone, the adduct 1,2-Fc(PPh2·HgC...

Herein we study the effects of borane incorporation in a perylene diimide (PDI)-based non-fullerene acceptor (NFA). We have previously demonstrated that a PDI-bithiophene-PDI ((PDI)2Th2) compound c...

We report a p-π* conjugated organic molecule based on triarylborane as n-type organic semiconductor with unique alcohol solubility. Its favorable alcohol solubility even in the absence of polar side chains is mainly due to the large dipole moment and enhanced flexibility of the conjugated backbone once the boron atom is embedded. The p-π* conjugation directly affects the electronic structure as the LUMO is fully delocalized, including the boron atom, whereas the HOMO has the boron atom residing on a node. As a result, the molecule exhibits low-lying LUMO/HOMO energy levels of −3.61 eV/−5.73 eV paired with a good electron mobility of 1.37 × 10−5 cm2 V−1 s−1. We further demonstrate its application as an electron acceptor in alcohol-processed organic solar cells (OSCs). To our best knowledge, this p-π* conjugated molecule is the first alcohol-processable non-fullerene electron acceptor, a feature that is in strong demand for environmentally friendly processing of OSCs.

Palladium(0) phosphine complexes are of great importance as catalysts in numerous bond formation reactions that involve oxidative addition of substrates. Highly active catalysts with labile ligands are of particular interest but can be challenging to isolate and structurally characterize. We investigate here the synthesis and chemical reactivity of Pd0 complexes that contain geometrically adaptable diferrocenylmercury-bridged diphosphine chelate ligands (L) in combination with a labile dibenzylideneacetone (dba) ligand. The diastereomeric diphosphines 1a (pSpR, meso-isomer) and 1b (pSpS-isomer) differ in the orientation of the ferrocene moieties relative to the central Ph2PC5H3–Hg–C5H3PPh2 bridging entity. The structurally distinct trigonal LPd0(dba) complexes 2a (meso) and 2b (pSpS) are obtained upon treatment with Pd(dba)2. A competition reaction reveals that 1b reacts faster than 1a with Pd(dba)2. Unexpectedly, catalytic interconversion of 1a (meso) into 1b (rac) is observed at room temperature in the presence of only catalytic amounts of Pd(dba)2. Both Pd0 complexes, 2a and 2b, readily undergo oxidative addition into the C–Cl bond of CH2Cl2 at moderate temperatures with formation of the square-planar trans-chelate complexes LPdIICl(CH2Cl) (3a, 3b). Kinetic studies reveal a significantly higher reaction rate for the meso-isomer 2a in comparison to (pSpS)-2b.

Although widely used in catalysis, the multistep syntheses and high loadings typically employed are limiting broader implementation of highly active tailor-made arylborane Lewis acids and Lewis pairs. Attempts at developing recyclable systems have thus far met with limited success, as general and versatile platforms are yet to be developed. We demonstrate a novel approach that is based on the excellent control and functional group tolerance of ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). The ROMP of highly Lewis acidic borane-functionalized phenylnorbornenes afforded both a soluble linear copolymer and a cross-linked organogel. The polymers proved highly efficient as recyclable catalysts in the reductive N-alkylation of arylamines under mild conditions and at exceptionally low catalyst loadings. The modular design presented herein can be readily adapted to other finely tuned triarylboranes, enabling wide applications of ROMP-borane polymers as well-defined supported organocatalysts.

Applications of highly electron-deficient organoborenium ions in conjugated materials remain scarce due to their low stability toward air and moisture. We report here the preparation of benzo[d]dithieno[b,f]borepinium ions as air-stable π-conjugated heterocycles and their conversion into the first dimeric borenium cations, which exhibit very low lying LUMOs and enhanced fluorescence as a result of extended conjugation.

In the present work, we have investigated the anion-specific upper critical solution temperature (UCST) behavior of polymer-supported borinic acid (PBA) in dimethyl sulfoxide–water (DMSO–H2O) mixtures. An inverted V-shaped series CH3COO– NO3– > ClO4– > SCN– is observed in terms of the anion-specific UCST of PBA in the DMSO–H2O mixtures. Both direct anion–polymer interactions and indirect solvent-mediated anion–polymer interactions are involved in the specific anion effect on the UCST behavior of PBA. The direct binding of anions to the PBA surface generates a salting-in effect on PBA, causing the UCST for the different types of anions to increase from chaotropic to kosmotropic anions due to the stronger binding of the more chaotropic anions. On the other hand, the indirect anionic polarization of hydrogen bonding between PBA and DMSO molecules also produces a salting-in effect on PBA, leading the UCST for the different types of anions to increase from kosmotropic to chaotropic anions b...

A diphosphine chelate ligand with a wide and flexible bite angle, a unique stereochemical environment, and redox-active and ambiphilic character is reported. Initially generated as its HgCl2 complex by reaction of 1,2-fc(PPh2 )(SnMe3 ) (fc=ferrocenediyl) with HgCl2 in acetone, treatment with [n-Bu4 N]CN readily liberates the free chiral bidentate ligand. An intermolecular ClHg-Cl→Hgfc2 (2.9929(13) A) interaction that is unprecedented in ambiphilic ligand chemistry is seen in the solid structure of Hg(fcPPh2 )2 ⋅HgCl2 where the bridging mercury atom acts as a σ-acceptor. Furthermore, a bis-[Rh(COD)Cl] complex is introduced, which displays relatively short Rh⋅⋅⋅Hg contacts of 3.4765(5) and 3.4013(1) A. Wiberg indices of 0.12 are determined for these Rh⋅⋅⋅Hg interactions and an AIM analysis reveals bond paths with an electron density ρ(r) of 1.2×10-2 and 1.4×10-2 e/a03 at the bond critical points.

p-π conjugation with embedded heteroatoms offers unique opportunities to tune the electronic structure of conjugated polymers. An approach is presented to form highly electron-deficient p-π conjugated polymers based on triarylboranes, demonstrate their n-type behavior, and explore device applications. By combining alternating [2,4,6-tris(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]di(thien-2-yl)borane (FBDT) and electron-deficient isoindigo (IID)/pyridine-flanked diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPPPy) units, we achieve low-lying lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy levels, high electron mobilities, and broad absorptions in the visible region. All-polymer solar cells with these polymers as electron acceptors exhibit encouraging photovoltaic performance with power conversion efficiencies of up to 2.83 %. These results unambiguously prove the n-type behavior and demonstrate the photovoltaic applications of p-π conjugated polymers based on triarylborane.

Conjugated polymers composed of tricoordinate boron and π-conjugated units possess extended conjugation with relatively low-lying LUMOs arising from pB–π interactions. However, donor–acceptor (D–A) polymers that feature triorganoboranes alternating with highly electron-rich donors remain scarce. We present here a new class of hybrid D–A polymers that combine electron-rich dithienosiloles or dithienogermoles with highly robust tricoordinate borane acceptors. Polymers of modest to high molecular weight are readily prepared by Pd-catalyzed Stille coupling reaction of bis(halothienyl)boranes and distannyldithienosiloles or -germoles. The polymers are obtained as dark red solids that are stable in air and soluble in common organic solvents. Long wavelength UV-vis absorptions at ca. 500–550 nm indicate effective π-conjugation and pronounced D–A interactions along the backbone. The emission maxima occur at wavelengths longer than 600 nm in solution and experience further shifts to lower energy with increasing solvent polarity, indicative of strong intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) character of the excited state. The powerful acceptor character of the borane comonomer units in the polymer structures is also evident from cyclic voltammetry (CV) analyses that reveal relatively low-lying LUMO levels of the polymers, enhancing the D–A interaction. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations on model oligomers further support these experimental observations.

The judicial placement of main group elements in conjugated structures is emerging as a key route to novel functional hybrid materials. We demonstrate here that the formation of B–N Lewis pairs at the periphery of anthracene leads to buckling of the backbone while also dramatically lowering the LUMO energy. The resulting BN-substituted contorted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons show large bathochromic shifts in the absorption and emission relative to all-carbon analogs. In the presence of light, they rapidly react with O2 without the need for an external photosensitizer, resulting in selective and reversible formation of the corresponding endoperoxides.

A new class of Ar2B–π–A dyads and A–π–B(Ar)–π–A triads that feature strong organic acceptor moieties (A = pyridalthiadiazole, PT) attached to a central triarylborane were synthesized via Stille cross-coupling of ArB(Th–SnMe3)2 (Th = thiophenediyl, Ar = 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenyl (Mes*) or 2,4,6-tris(trifluoromethylphenyl) (FMes)) with one or two equivalents of dibromopyridalthiadiazole. Single-crystal X-ray crystallography data for the triad Mes*B(Th–PT–Br)2 indicate a highly coplanar conformation, which is ideal for extended π-conjugation and favors intermolecular π-stacking. Despite the presence of Br substituents, these compounds exhibit strong photoluminescence in THF solution with quantum yields reaching up to 52%. Further extension of conjugation by coupling with 2-hexylthiophene leads to additional bathochromic shifts to give a highly soluble and strongly red-emissive material. All these compounds undergo facile reduction, first of the PT substituents and then at more negative potentials for the borane moiety. Upon chemical reduction with in THF, an intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) pathway from the reduced PT moieties to boron is enabled and this results in a change of the color to blue. Theoretical calculations reveal that, due to the electron-withdrawing effect of the PT moieties, not only the PT-centered LUMOs themselves but also the LUMO+1 or LUMO+2, which show contributions from the p orbital of boron, experience a significant decrease in energy; they are much lower in energy than those of typical conjugated triarylboranes. The relatively low energy of both the PT-centered LUMOs and boron-centered LUMO+1 or LUMO+2 opens up multiple pathways for reaction with highly nucleophilic fluoride anions. Evidence for very strong F− binding to boron is obtained in the case of the more sterically accessible FMes derivatives. Fluoride anion binding leads to an electron-rich borate moiety and as such generates an ICT pathway to the electron-deficient PT moieties; the direction of this ICT is opposite to that observed upon chemical reduction. For the Mes* derivatives, F− binding is hindered, resulting in competing reduction of the PT acceptors. Finally, the electron acceptor character of the hexylthiophene derivative is exploited in electron-only diodes that show an average electron mobility of 6.4 ± 1.6 × 10−5 cm2 V−1 s−1.

The synthesis of ferrocenylphosphine-borane adducts 1,2-fc(E)(PPh2·BH3) (E = SnR2R′, HgX; 1,2-fc = 1,2-ferrocenediyl) that are substituted with organotin or organomercury Lewis acid moieties in ortho-position is presented. Several compounds that feature two ferrocenylphosphine-borane moieties bridged by Sn or Hg are also introduced. The products are fully characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, high-resolution MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. The attachment of the Lewis acid substituent to the same Cp ring of the ferrocene results in planar-chirality and the close proximity between the boron hydride group and the Lewis acid is expected to allow for agostic-type B–H⋯E (E = Sn, Hg) interactions. Structural investigations by X-ray diffraction reveal a short B–H⋯Sn contact of 2.755(4) A for 1,2-fc(SnMe2Cl)(PPh2·BH3), which is only the second reported example of such a short agostic-type contact involving a coordinatively saturated tin(IV) center. In contrast, for the tetraorganotin derivatives 1,2-fc(SnMe3)(PPh2·BH3) and [1,2-fc(PPh2)](μ-SnMe2)[1,2-fc(PPh2·BH3)], in which the Lewis acidity of the tin atom is weaker than in 1,2-fc(SnMe2Cl)(PPh2·BH3), the B–H⋯Sn distances are much longer but still within the sum of the van der Waals radii of Sn and H (∑vdW = 3.27 A). The chloromercury-substituted ferrocenylphosphine-borane 1,2-fc(HgCl)(PPh2·BH3) shows a similarly short B–H⋯Hg contact of 2.615(5) A (∑vdW = 3.15 A). Inspection of the extended structure of 1,2-fc(HgCl)(PPh2·BH3) reveals that the Lewis acidic mercury atom is also involved in intermolecular Hg⋯Cl interactions with a neighboring molecule. An analysis of 31P and 11B NMR data reveals a correlation between the chemical shifts and the Lewis acidity of the adjacent organotin/mercury substituent. Structure optimization of 1,2-fc(SnMe3)(PPh2·BH3) and 1,2-fc(SnMe2Cl)(PPh2·BH3) by density functional theory (DFT) indicates B–H⋯Sn contacts respectively of 3.129 and 2.631 A that are close to the experimental values. Natural bond orbitals (NBO) and atom in molecules (AIM) analyses reveals a B–H→Sn donor–acceptor interaction energy of 5.46 kcal mol−1 and a B–H⋯Sn bond path for the chlorodimethyltin-substituted derivative with a modest electron density ρ(r) of 0.0082 a.u. and a positive Laplacian at the bond critical point.

Triarylboranes that exhibit p-π* conjugation serve as versatile building blocks to design n-type organic/polymer semiconductors. A series of new molecular acceptors based on triarylborane is reported here. These molecules are designed with a boron atom that bears a bulky 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenyl (Mes*) substituent at the core and strong electron-withdrawing 2-(3-oxo-2,3-dihydroinden-1-ylidene)malononitrile (IC) units as the end-capping groups that are linked to the core by bithiophene bridges. Butyl or butoxy groups are introduced to the bithiophene units to tune the optoelectronic properties. These molecules show nearly planar backbones with highly localized steric hindrance at the core, low LUMO/HOMO energy levels, and broad absorption bands spanning the visible region, which are all very desirable characteristics for use as electron acceptors in organic solar cell (OSC) applications. The attachment of butyl groups to the bithiophene bridges brings about a slightly twisted backbone, which in turn promotes good solubility and homogeneous donor/acceptor blend morphology, whereas the introduction of butoxy groups leads to improved planarity, favorable stacking in the film state, and a greatly reduced band gap. OSC devices based on these molecules exhibit encouraging photovoltaic performances with power conversion efficiencies reaching up to 4.07 %. These results further substantiate the strong potential of triarylboranes as the core unit of small molecule acceptors for OSC applications.

Diphosphine chelate ligands are essential in many catalytic processes with both the electronic structure and bite angle having a dramatic influence on the coordination behavior and catalytic performance. The synthesis of a new class of diferrocenylmercury-supported diphosphine chelate ligands was accomplished by the reaction of (ortho-diphenylphosphino)ferrocenyl sulfinate (2) with t-BuLi, followed by treatment with mercury(ii) chloride. Two diastereomers, 4a (pSpR-, meso-isomer) and 4b (pSpS-isomer), differ in the orientation of the ferrocene moiety relative to the central Ph2PC5H3-Hg-C5H3PPh2 bridging entity. They were isolated independently and fully characterized in solution and in the solid state by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Key characteristics of these ligands are their exceptionally wide and flexible bite angles and the unique stereochemical environment that is achieved upon coordination to transition metals. Complexation to Pd(ii)Cl2 gives rise to unusual square-planar trans-chelate complexes 5a (meso) and 5b (pSpS). In competition reactions, 4a and 4b show similar reactivity toward Pd(ii)Cl2. The molecular structures of 5a and 5b exhibit short PdHg contacts, possibly indicating secondary metallophilic interactions as further evidenced by bond-critical points between Pd and Hg that were identified by AIM analyses.

We demonstrate that the modification of anthracene with B ← N Lewis pairs at their periphery serves as a highly effective tool to modify the electronic structure with important ramifications on the generation and reactivity toward singlet oxygen. A series of BN-fused dipyridylanthracenes with Me groups in different positions of the pyridyl ring have been prepared via directed electrophilic borylation. The steric and electronic effects of the substituents on the structural features and electronic properties of the isomeric borane-functionalized products have been investigated in detail, aided by experimental tools and computational studies. We find that BDPA-2Me, with Me groups adjacent to the pyridyl N, has the longest B-N distance and shows overall less structural distortions, whereas BDPA-5Me with the Me group close to the anthracene backbone experiences severe distortions that are reflected in the buckling of the anthracene framework and dislocation of the boron atoms from the planes of the phenyl rings they are attached to. The substitution pattern also has a dramatic effect on the self-sensitized reactivity of the acenes toward O

The use of inorganic and organometallic compounds as building blocks of functional polymeric materials has developed into a flourishing research direction. Boron-containing polymers in particular are attracting tremendous attention for applications ranging from precursors to high-performance ceramics, flame retardants, electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries, supramolecular materials, optical and electronic materials, sensors and bioimaging agents, and polymer-supported reagents and catalysts. New synthetic approaches have been introduced in recent years that allow for controlled functionalization of polymeric materials with structurally diverse organoborane moieties, utilizing either polymer modification procedures or the direct polymerization of borane monomers. In this chapter we summarize our efforts toward the discovery of new functional materials derived from organoborane hybrid polymers, focusing on polystyrene-based systems.

A versatile synthetic protocol is described for the synthesis of heteroatom-bridged biferrocene derivatives, including the symmetric species 2-SnSn and the planar-chiral species 2-SnSi, 2-BSi, and 2-SnP. Treatment of (pR,SS)-2-lithio-1-(p-tolylsufinyl)-ferrocene with 0.5 equiv of Me2SnCl2 afforded the tin-bridged biferrocene 1-Sn. A second Sn, Si, or P bridge was then incorporated by substitution of the sulfinyl group in the ortho-position with a dimethylstannyl, dimethylsilyl, or tert-butylphosphino group, respectively, to give the doubly bridged biferrocenes 2-SnSn, 2-SnSi, and 2-SnP. The dimethylstannyl moiety of 2-SnSi was subsequently replaced with a borane bridge via a two-step transmetalation procedure comprising treatment with HgCl2, followed by PhBCl2. The formation of ferrocene-fused six-membered heterocycles was confirmed by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution MS analyses. The stereochemical configuration of the chiral biferrocenes 2-SnSi, 2-SnP, and 2-BSi was studied by single-cr...

The importance of scorpionate ligands in modern coordination chemistry continues to increase, because of their outstanding versatility, tunability and user-friendliness. Herein, we provide a short overview of recent developments in the classes of scorpionate ligands, derived from pyrazoles, triazoles, imidazoles, oxazolines, thioimidazoles and other similar systems, followed by an in-depth discussion of a new type of robust and tunable scorpionate ligand, tris(2-pyridyl)borates. The structure and synthesis of tris(2-pyridyl)borate (Tpyb) ligands are discussed, and key features of coordination of Tpyb ligands with metal ions, as well as supramolecular crystal packing, transmetallation and applications in metallo-supramolecular polymer chemistry are addressed.

A series of polymers (PBnT, n = 2–5) with boron atoms incorporated into the conjugated polythiophene main chain have been prepared via Pd-catalyzed coupling of stannylated thienylborane monomers. The polymers exhibit excellent long-term chemical stability to air and moisture and remarkable thermal stability with decomposition temperatures reaching over 300 °C. The high stability is achieved by placing very bulky pendant groups, 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenyl (Mes*) and 2,4,6-tris(trifluoromethyl)phenyl (FMes), on boron that prevent attack by nucleophiles. All these polymers display strong absorptions in the visible region and intense fluorescence in both solution and the solid state with quantum yields of up to 38% and fast radiative decay constants (kr) of up to 3.3 × 108 s–1. Density functional theory (DFT) studies on diborylated oligothiophene model compounds suggest that the strong absorption of the polymers results from π–π* transitions on the oligothiophene borane main chain with significant charge tran...

This perspective highlights recent progress on the design, synthesis and applications of thienylboranes as building blocks for new functional materials. Well-controlled synthetic protocols, such as boron-tin and boron-silicon exchange reactions, hydroboration of alkynyl groups, and electrophilic borylations provide opportunities to access thiophene-boranes that are chemically robust and display desirable photophysical properties, redox characteristics, and solid-state assembly behavior. Diverse protocols for further functionalization allow for facile integration into larger conjugated structures and even polymeric systems. Moreover, the strong Lewis acid character that is characteristic of trivalent boranes facilitates intra- and intermolecular Lewis acid-base interactions that can further enrich the chemical and electronic properties of thiophene-borane materials. Recent advances with respect to applications in sensing, organic electronics, and the development of molecular switches are also discussed.