Manipulation of the electronic and photovoltaic properties of materials based on small push-pull molecules by substitution of the arylamine donor block by aliphatic groups

• Small push-pull molecules based on triphenylamine have been synthesized.
• The effects of replacing a phenyl ring of TPA by aliphatic chains is analyzed.
• Aliphatic chains have minor effect on the energy levels of the molecule.
• Aliphatic groups can strongly affect the structure and properties of the materials.

Push-pull molecules with an arylamine donor block connected to a dicyanovinyl acceptor via a thienyl π-conjugating spacer have been synthesized in order to analyze the effects of replacing an outer phenyl ring of the triphenylamine (TPA) block of a reference compound by methyl, hexyl, heptafluoropentyl and dioxaoctyl groups. Optical, electrochemical and X-ray diffraction data show that these substitutions have minor influence on the energy levels of the molecule but exert a considerable effect on the structure, optical, electrical and photovoltaic properties of the resulting materials.

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