Carbocyclization approaches to electron-deficient nanographenes and their analogues

Abstract

Recent advances in the chemistry of electron-poor polycyclic aromatic molecules are reviewed with a focus on new structural designs and emerging synthetic methods. We review various classes of building blocks, notably those based on rylene imides, and highlight the application of the most successful C–C bond-forming reactions, e.g., tandem Pd-catalyzed couplings, photocyclizations, and the glyoxylic Perkin condensation. These advances are presented in the context of the electronic properties of the resulting materials, which are of high current interest as n-type organic semiconductors.