Rigid-Core Oligothiophene-S,S-dioxides with High Photoluminescence Efficiencies Both in Solution and in the Solid State

The photoluminescence (PL) frequencies and quantum efficiencies of dithieno[3,2-b;2‘,3‘-d]thiophene-4,4-dioxide (1), its 3,5-dimethyl derivative (2), and the corresponding 4-oxide (3) are reported and discussed in relation to their single-crystal X-ray structures. The peculiar packing modalities of dioxides 1 and 2, based on dimeric units originated by short S···O contacts between molecules related by an inversion center, cause an unusually high bathocromic shift of PL frequencies from solution to solid state. This effect is accompanied by a marked decrease in solid-state PL efficiencies (12% and 16%) compared to those in solution (75% and 77%). In monoxide 3 the loss of local symmetry inherent to the change SO2 → SO deeply modifies the self-assembly and PL properties, and the PL efficiency in the solid state is close to that in solution. Ab initio calculations on the ground and excited states of compound 1 were performed and compared to those of a conformationally mobile counterpart. Oligomers containing dithienothiophene 2 as internal core were synthesized and found to be characterized by high PL efficiencies in the solid-state (up to 48%) as well as in solution (up to 85%). The current−voltage and luminance−voltage plots of an electroluminescent diode fabricated with one of these new rigid-core oligothiophene-S,S-dioxides are reported.