Undecabenzo[7]superhelicene: A Helical Nanographene Ribbon as a Circularly Polarized Luminescence Emitter

The synthesis and characterization of an enantiopure superhelicene nanographene is reported in which two saddle-shaped and one planar hexabenzocoronene (HBC) units are arranged in a helicoidal shape to form an undecabenzo[7]carbohelicene. The described compound is the first fully pi-extended [7]helicene. Racemic resolution of the helical nanographene permitted analysis of the chiroptical properties and revealed dissymmetry factors in the range of 2 x 10(-3) both in the absorption and in the emission measurements. Remarkably, non-linear photophysical analysis demonstrated a two-photon absorption cross-section of 870 GM at 800 nm and a perfect overlap between linear, non-linear, and chiral emissions.