Advances in the field of pi-conjugated 2,2 ':6 ',2 ''-terpyridines

This critical review summarizes the research progress made in the field of pi-conjugated terpyridines within the last decade. Supramolecular materials based on metal ion complexes of 2,2':6',2 ''-terpyridine derivatives have found manifold potential applications-from opto-electronic devices to life science. In this contribution, synthetic strategies towards p-conjugated terpyridines and their incorporation into advanced supramolecular architectures are evaluated. Applications as photoactive species in, e.g., photovoltaic devices, polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDSs) and nanotechnology are discussed comprehensively (523 references).