Synthesis, properties, and semiconducting characteristics of electron-transporting three-dimensional π-conjugated compounds containing dicyanomethylene-substituted difluorocyclopenta[b]thiophene

•Three-dimensional electron-transporting π-conjugated compounds have been successfully synthesized.•The physical measurements of these compounds revealed the electronic properties and frontier-orbital energy levels.•All the synthesized compounds showed electron-transporting characteristics.•Organic photovoltaic device containing our developed compound Tetra-TT-BCN as an acceptor showed photovoltaic response.

The design and synthesis of three-dimensional π-conjugated compounds containing dicyanomethylene-substituted difluorocyclopenta[b]thiophene for application as acceptor materials in organic photovoltaic devices are reported. Photophysical and electrochemical measurements, as well as semiconducting performance evaluations were performed to investigate the characteristic properties derived from the three-dimensional structure.

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