Invited feature articleSynthesis of porphyrin dendrimers via Heck reaction and their photovoltaic properties

•Synthesis of dendrimers first and second generation linear and ramified dendrimers with porphyrin as nucleus and OPV in the dendritic branches.•High conjugated porphyrin dendrimers in one pot reaction were obtained.•With the appropriate substituent is possible to use them as a block system to obtain a great variety of π-conjugated macromolecules.•The trans configuration of the OPV systems by 1H NMR spectroscopy was observed; this also by X-ray studies was demonstrated.•The length and configuration of the π-conjugated system have a great influence in the electronic response.

Porphyrins meso-substituted with p-phenylene vinylene (OPV) were synthesized. The porphyrin dendrimers obtained showed a strong dependence on the type of connection of the dendritic branches. In the instance of the all trans-conformation linkages, an H-type aggregate is obtained for the linear OPV and strong J-aggregate for the ramified OPV. An adequate intramolecular energy transference stemming from the OPVs (donors) to the respective cores was observed. Furthermore, the number oligo(p-phenylene vinylene) (OPV) groups linked to the porphyrin system increase the energy transfer efficiency. This behavior also was observed in the photovoltaic studies.

Graphical abstractHigh conjugated meso-subtituted porphyrins with linear and ramified OPV groups via Heck reaction were synthesized. The optical studies showed the formation of intermolecular aggregates type J for the dendrimers with linear and for the ramified OPV groups.Download high-res image (75KB)Download full-size image