The synthesis of oligothiophene functionalized dimethyldihydropyrenes and their electrical and photochromic properties

dc.contributor.authorRobinson, Stephen Garfield
dc.contributor.supervisorMitchell, Reginald H.
dc.date.accessioned2008-04-09T18:24:49Z
dc.date.available2008-04-09T18:24:49Z
dc.date.copyright2008en_US
dc.date.issued2008-04-09T18:24:49Z
dc.degree.departmentDepartment of Chemistry
dc.degree.levelDoctor of Philosophy Ph.D.en_US
dc.description.abstractThe synthesis of benzo[e]dimethyldihydropyrene (BDHP) photoswitches with ter-27, quarter-36, and quinque-28 thiophene oligomers attached on the same side of the switch was achieved using Stille coupling reactions. BDHP photoswitches with bi-75, ter-76 and quinque-77 thiophene oligomers attached directly to the switch on one side, and via a carbonyl spacer on the opposite side of the switch were also synthesized. Dimethyldihydropyrene (DHP) photoswitches with a naphthoyl functional group in the 2 position were synthesized using a Friedel Crafts reaction, and ter-96, quinque-97 and septi-98 thiophene oligomers were attached on opposite sides of the switch using Stille coupling reactions. All compounds were characterized by NMR, IR UV-vis spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The relative rates of the photo-opening reactions under excess light conditions and the UV closing reactions versus BDHP were measured. Improvements in the photo-opening properties of the oligothiophene functionalized switches compared to BDHP were observed. The most dramatic photo-opening improvement was found for the quinquethienyl substituted DHP switch 97 which photo-opened when irradiated with visible light over 100 times faster than BDHP. UV closing rates were virtually the same as that of BDHP. However the addition of oligothiophenes led to an increase in the thermal closing reaction rates. Compounds with the naphthoyl functional group in the 2 position of DHP were found to have dramatically increased thermal closing rates. The electrochemical properties of oligothiophene functionalized BDHP and naphthoyl functionalized DHP switches in the closed form were studied by cyclic voltammetry and spectroelectrochemistry. During the oxidation cycle, a closing reaction from the cyclophanediene (CPD) form to the DHP form of the switches occurred which prevented the study of the electrochemical properties of the switches in the open form. Conductivity testing was performed on the quinquethienyl substituted DHP switch 97 using a gold interdigitated micro electrode array. The conductivity of undoped 97 was greater in the closed DHP isomer than in the open CPD isomer. Irradiation with red or blue light allowed for repetitive switching between the more highly conducting closed form and the less conducting open form. When electrochemically doped, 97 showed improved conductivity over the undoped form but only the conductivity of the closed doped form could be measured due to electrochemically induced closing.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1828/336
dc.languageEnglisheng
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.rightsAvailable to the World Wide Weben_US
dc.subjectphotochromismen_US
dc.subjectdimethyldihydropyreneen_US
dc.subjectbenzodimethyldihydropyreneen_US
dc.subjectcyclophanedieneen_US
dc.subjectoligothiopheneen_US
dc.subjectpoly(thiophene)en_US
dc.subjectphotochromismen_US
dc.subjectphotochromic materialsen_US
dc.subjectconjugationen_US
dc.subjectconductivityen_US
dc.subjectaromaticityen_US
dc.subjectring currenten_US
dc.subjectspectroelectrochemistryen_US
dc.subjectinterdigitated micro electrodeen_US
dc.subjectStille couplingen_US
dc.subjectWeinreb amideen_US
dc.subject.lcshUVic Subject Index::Sciences and Engineering::Chemistryen_US
dc.titleThe synthesis of oligothiophene functionalized dimethyldihydropyrenes and their electrical and photochromic propertiesen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

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