Electrical and electrochemical properties of double-decker Lu(III) and Eu(III) phthalocyanines with four imidazoles and N-alkylated imidazoles

Imidazole tetrasubstituted double-decker Lu(III) (2) and Eu(III) (3) phthalocyanines have been synthesized by heating 4[(4,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazole)-2-yl-thio]phthalonitrile (1) with Lu(OAc)3·nH2O or Eu(OAc)3·nH2O in n-hexanol in the presence of 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene, respectively. N-alkylated imidazole tetrasubstituted double-decker Lu(III) (4) and Eu(III) (5) phthalocyanines have been synthesized by the reaction of compounds 2 and 3 with hexyl bromide, in DMF in the presence of K2CO3, respectively. The new compounds were obtained in sufficient purity after successive washing with different solvents and were characterized by elemental analysis and 1H NMR, UV–Vis, IR, MALDI-TOF mass and electron spin resonance spectra. Electrical measurements of the 2–5 performed in a vacuum (<2 × 10−3 mbar) in the dark between the temperatures of 295 and 523 K suggest that their films show semi-conductor behavior. It was found that, in general, σd.c. (4) > σd.c. (2) in the temperature range 295–458 K, and σd.c. (5) > σd.c. (3) in the measured temperature range. Depressed semi-circles with different radii at high temperatures in impedance spectra measurements indicated deviation from the Debye dispersion relation. The redox behaviors of the compounds were also investigated by voltammetry and in situ spectroelectrochemistry in dimethylsulfoxide with tetrabutylammonium perchlorate.

Imidazole and N-alkylated imidazole tetrasubstituted double-decker Lu(III) and Eu(III) phthalocyanines were synthesized and characterized by UV–Vis, 1H NMR, IR, MALDI-TOF mass, ESR spectra and elemental analysis. Electrical and electrochemical properties of these compounds have also been studied.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights
► Imidazole substituted double-decker Lu(III) and Eu(III) phthalocyanines were synthesized.
► Electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical properties of the compounds were investigated.
► The films of the complexes displayed semiconducting behavior.