Synthesis, photophysical, and electrochemical properties of 2,5-diaryl-indolizines

A variety of novel 2,5-diaryl-indolizines have been prepared through the palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of organozinc reagents prepared from 2-aryl-indolizines with aromatic halides. The photophysical properties of representative compounds indicate that the 2,5-diaryl-indolizines are promising candidates to be used in optoelectronic devices and biomolecular labeling. In addition, cyclic voltammetry studies of some nitrophenyl-substituted indolizines have shown evidences of an oxidation process without the correspondent reduction peak suggesting a dimerization reaction.