D/A cruciform bithiophene chromophores as potential molecular scaffolds for optoelectronic applications

Thiophene-based molecular semiconductors are of high interest in the development of optoelectronics devices and are extensively used. So far, structural variations have been widely performed on linear molecular push-pull in order to optimize their photophysical properties while 2D systems are quite limited. We report herein the synthesis of four new chromophores based on bithiophene core end-capped with dibutylaminostyryl groups and functionalized on the 3,3′ position with different electron withdrawing groups. Optical and electrochemical characterizations have been performed as well as theoretical calculations that corroborate the experimental data.