Synthesis, photophysics and molecular structures of luminescent 2,5-bis(phenylethynyl)thiophenes (BPETs)

The Sonogashira cross-coupling of two equivalents of para-substituted ethynylbenzenes with 2,5-diiodothiophene provides a simple synthetic route for the preparation of 2,5-bis(para-R-phenylethynyl)thiophenes (R = H, Me, OMe, CF₃, NMe₂, NO₂, CN and CO₂Me) (1a–h). Likewise, 2,5-bis(pentafluorophenylethynyl)thiophene (2) was prepared by the coupling of 2,5-diiodothiophene with pentafluorophenylacetylene. All compounds were characterised by NMR, IR, Raman and mass spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and their absorption and emission spectra, quantum yields and lifetimes were also measured. The spectroscopic studies of 1a–h and 2 show that both electron donating and electron withdrawing para-subsituents on the phenyl rings shift the absorption and emission maxima to lower energies, but that acceptors are more efficient in this regard. The short singlet lifetimes and modest fluorescence quantum yields (ca. 0.2–0.3) observed are characteristic of rapid intersystem crossing. The single-crystal structures of 2,5-bis(phenylethynyl)thiophene, 2,5-bis(para-carbomethoxyphenylethynyl)thiophene, 2,5-bis(para-methylphenylethynyl)thiophene and 2,5-bis(pentafluorophenylethynyl)thiophene were determined by X-ray diffraction at 120 K. DFT calculations show that the all-planar form of the compounds is the lowest in energy, although rotation of the phenyl groups about the CC bond is facile and TD-DFT calculations suggest that, similar to 1,4-bis(phenylethynyl)benzene analogues, the absorption spectra in solution arise from a variety of rotational conformations. Frequency calculations confirm the assignments of the compounds’ IR and Raman spectra.