Electron donor–acceptor co-crystals are receiving increasing interest because of their many useful optoelectronic properties. While the steady-state properties of many different co-crystals have been characterized, very few studies have addressed how crystal morphology affects the dynamics of charge transfer (CT) exciton formation, migration, and decay, which are often critical to their performance in device structures. Here we show that co-crystallization of a pyrene (Pyr) electron donor with either N , N ′-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)- or N , N ′-bis(3′-pentyl)-perylene-3,4:9,10-bis(dicarboximide) (diisoPDI or C 5 PDI) electron acceptors, respectively, yields mixed π-stacked Pyr–diisoPDI or Pyr–C 5 PDI donor–acceptor co-crystals. Femtosecond transient absorption microscopy is used to determine the CT exciton dynamics in these single crystals. Fitting the data to a one-dimensional charge transfer CT exciton diffusion model reveals a diffusion constant that is two orders of magnitude higher in the Pyr–diisoPDI co-crystal compared to the Pyr–C 5 PDI co-crystal. By correlating the co-crystal structures to their distinct excited-state dynamics, the effects of each mixed stacked structure on the exciton dynamics and the mechanisms of CT exciton diffusion are elucidated.
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Charge-transfer biexciton annihilation in a donor–acceptor co-crystal yields high-energy long-lived charge carriers
Organic donor–acceptor (D–A) co-crystals have attracted much interest due to their important optical and electronic properties. Co-crystals having ⋯DADA⋯ π-stacked morphologies are especially interesting because photoexcitation produces a charge-transfer (CT) exciton, D˙ + –A˙ − , between adjacent D–A molecules. Although several studies have reported on the steady-state optical properties of this type of CT exciton, very few have measured the dynamics of its formation and decay in a single D–A co-crystal. We have co-crystallized a peri -xanthenoxanthene ( PXX ) donor with a N , N -bis(3-pentyl)-2,5,8,11-tetraphenylperylene-3,4:9,10-bis(dicarboximide) ( Ph4PDI ) acceptor to give an orthorhombic PXX – Ph4PDI ⋯DADA⋯ π-stacked co-crystal with a CT transition dipole moment that is perpendicular to the transition moments for S n ← S 0 excitation of PXX and Ph4PDI . Using polarized, broadband, femtosecond pump–probe microscopy, we have determined that selective photoexcitation of Ph4PDI in the single co-crystal results in CT exciton formation within the 300 fs instrument response time. At early times (0.3 ≤ t ≤ 500 ps), the CT excitons decay with a t −1/2 dependence, which is attributed to CT biexciton annihilation within the one-dimensional ⋯DADA⋯ π-stacks producing high-energy, long-lived (>8 ns) electron–hole pairs in the crystal. These energetic charge carriers may prove useful in applications ranging from photovoltaics and opto-electronics to photocatalysis.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2003739
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10229729
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Chemical Science
- Volume:
- 11
- Issue:
- 35
- ISSN:
- 2041-6520
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 9532 to 9541
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Abstract The crystal structures of the charge‐transfer (CT) cocrystals formed by the π‐electron acceptor 1,3,4,5,7,8‐hexafluoro‐11,11,12,12‐tetracyanonaphtho‐2,6‐quinodimethane (F6TNAP) with the planar π‐electron‐donor molecules triphenylene (TP), benzo[
b ]benzo[4,5]thieno[2,3‐d ]thiophene (BTBT), benzo[1,2‐b :4,5‐b ′]dithiophene (BDT), pyrene (PY), anthracene (ANT), and carbazole (CBZ) have been determined using single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction (SCXRD), along with those of two polymorphs of F6TNAP. All six cocrystals exhibit 1:1 donor/acceptor stoichiometry and adopt mixed‐stacking motifs. Cocrystals based on BTBT and CBZ π‐electron donor molecules exhibit brickwork packing, while the other four CT cocrystals show herringbone‐type crystal packing. Infrared spectroscopy, molecular geometries determined by SCXRD, and electronic structure calculations indicate that the extent of ground‐state CT in each cocrystal is small. Density functional theory calculations predict large conduction bandwidths and, consequently, low effective masses for electrons for all six CT cocrystals, while the TP‐, BDT‐, and PY‐based cocrystals are also predicted to have large valence bandwidths and low effective masses for holes. Charge‐carrier mobility values are obtained from space‐charge limited current (SCLC) measurements and field‐effect transistor measurements, with values exceeding 1 cm2V−1s1being estimated from SCLC measurements for BTBT:F6TNAP and CBZ:F6TNAP cocrystals. -
Absorption of electronic acceptors in the accessible channels of an assembled triphenylamine (TPA) bis -urea macrocycle 1 enabled the study of electron transfer from the walls of the TPA framework to the encapsulated guests. The TPA host is isoskeletal in all host–guest structures analyzed with guests 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole, 2,5-dichlorobenzoquinone and I 2 loading in single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformations. Analysis of the crystal structures highlights how the spatial proximity and orientation of the TPA host and the entrapped guests influence their resulting photophysical properties and allow direct comparison of the different donor–acceptor complexes. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy shows that upon complex formation 1·2,5-dichlorobenzoquinone exhibits a charge transfer (CT) transition. Whereas, the 1·2,1,3-benzothiadiazole complex undergoes a photoinduced electron transfer (PET) upon irradiation with 365 nm LEDs. The CT absorptions were also identified with the aid of time dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations. Cyclic voltammetry experiments show that 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole undergoes reversible reduction within the host–guest complex. Moreover, the optical band gaps of the host 1·2,5-dichlorobenzoquinone (1.66 eV), and host 1·2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (2.15 eV) complexes are significantly smaller as compared to the free host 1 material (3.19 eV). Overall, understanding this supramolecular electron transfer strategy should pave the way towards designing lower band gap inclusion complexes.more » « less
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Abstract A catalyst‐ and additive‐free decarbonylative trifluoromethylthiolation of aldehyde feedstocks has been developed. This operationally simple, scalable, and open‐to‐air transformation is driven by the selective photoexcitation of electron donor‐acceptor (EDA) complexes, stemming from the association of 1,4‐dihydropyridines (donor) with
N ‐(trifluoromethylthio)phthalimide (acceptor), to trigger intermolecular single‐electron transfer events under ambient‐ and visible light‐promoted conditions. Extension to other electron acceptors enables the synthesis of thiocyanates and thioesters, as well as the difunctionalization of [1.1.1]propellane. The mechanistic intricacies of this photochemical paradigm are elucidated through a combination of experimental efforts and high‐level quantum mechanical calculations [dispersion‐corrected (U)DFT, DLPNO‐CCSD(T), and TD‐DFT]. This comprehensive study highlights the necessity for EDA complexation for efficient alkyl radical generation. Computation of subsequent ground state pathways reveals that SH2 addition of the alkyl radical to the intermediate radical EDA complex is extremely exergonic and results in a charge transfer event from the dihydropyridine donor to theN ‐(trifluoromethylthio)phthalimide acceptor of the EDA complex. Experimental and computational results further suggest that product formation also occursvia SH2 reaction of alkyl radicals with 1,2‐bis(trifluoromethyl)disulfane, generated in‐situ through combination of thiyl radicals.magnified image -
The charge-transfer (CT) state arising as a hybrid electronic state at the interface between charge donor and charge acceptor molecular units is important to a wide variety of physical processes in organic semiconductor devices. The exact nature of this state depends heavily on the nature and co-facial overlap between the donor and acceptor; however, altering this overlap is usually accompanied by extensive confounding variations in properties due to extrinsic factors, such as microstructure. As a consequence, establishing reliable relationships between donor/acceptor molecular structures, their molecular overlap, degree of charge transfer and physical properties, is challenging. Herein, we examine the electronic structure of a polymorphic system based on the donor dibenzotetrathiafulvalene (DBTTF) and the acceptor 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) in the form of high-quality single crystals varying in the donor–acceptor overlap. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we resolve the highest occupied molecular orbital states of the CT crystals. Analysis based on field-effect transistors allows us to probe the sub-gap states impacting hole and electron transport. Our results expand the understanding on the impact of donor and acceptor interactions on electronic structure and charge transport.more » « less
- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1039/D0SC03301D
