Steric bulk & solubility provide synthetic access & insight into non-symmetric perylenediimide syntheses

Abstract

Non-symmetric perylenediimides are valuable yet often synthetically challenging due to poor solubility. We compare synthetic strategies using sterically and electronically diverse amines, demonstrating that the first amine governs solubility and synthetic yields. In comparison with established molten imidazole methods, we developed higher yielding methods under milder conditions to achieve non-symmetric products.