Fluorescence and phosphorescence of a series of silicon-containing six-membered-ring molecules

•9,10-Dihydro-9,10-disilaanthracenes were synthesized by the reaction of 1,2-bis(dimethylsilyl)arenes with 1,2-diiodoarenes.•Their photophysical properties were investigated by UV–vis absorption, fluorescence and phosphorescence spectroscopies.•Some of the compounds exhibited enhanced luminescence and larger Stokes shift in comparison with the carbon analog.

Various silicon-containing six-membered-ring molecules were synthesized by Pd-catalyzed coupling reaction of 1,2-bis(dimethylsilyl)arenes with 1,2-diiodoarenes in moderate yields. Their optical properties were investigated via UV–vis absorption, fluorescence and phosphorescence spectroscopies, which indicated that the σ*–π* conjugated system expanded owing to the silicon atoms. Some of the compounds exhibited enhanced luminescence, larger Stokes shift, and phosphorescence in comparison with 9,9,10,10-tetramethyl-9,10-dihydroanthracene. Density functional theory (DFT) studies were also performed to investigate the photophysical properties of the compounds.

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