Solid emission color tuning of organic charge transfer cocrystals based on planar π-conjugated donors and TCNB

• Two luminescent Charge Transfer (CT) cocrystals involving planar phenanthrene derivatives namely, formyl phenanthrene (FP) and acetyl phenanthrene (AP) as donors (D) and 1,2,4,5-tetracyanobenzene (TCNB) as an acceptor (A) building block, are formed by molecular self-assembly. Detailed structural and spectroscopic measurements elucidated the mixed stack sequence DADAD in the CT cocrystals. The solid supramolecular architecture for both the cocrystals forms 2D sheet, supported by the extended network of C-H···O, and C-H···N hydrogen bonds as evidenced by the crystallographic observation. Interestingly, the two cocrystals display tunable emissions compared to the blue emissions of donor compounds, which correlate with the formation of excited CT state between the donor and acceptor motifs as a result of mixed stack orientation. The nature of the CT interactions in the two cocrystals was further explored by applying density functional theoretical (DFT) studies. Such a supramolecular cocrystal approach provides a facile platform towards the design of new luminescent two component CT complexes with desired functionalities.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Annan hälsovetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Other Health Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Hirshfeld surface analysis

Mixed stacking

Phenanthrene derivatives

Photophysical properties

density functional calculations

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)