Dually Switchable Heterotetracenes: Addressing the Photophysical Properties and Self-Organization of the P-S System

New ladder-type, phosphorus- and sulfur-based heterotetracenes were synthesized, which allowed the engineering of the materials' properties by exploitation of the different reactivities between sulfur and phosphorus. P-31 NMR. spectroscopy and X-ray crystallographic studies revealed that the different electronic effects of the secondary heteroatom, sulfur, influence not only the conjugation in the heterotetracene core but also the behavior of the phosphorus center. UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy showed that the scaffold's band gap is mainly controlled by the electronic nature of sulfur, while the fluorescence quantum yield highly depends on the electronic nature of phosphorus. Cyclic voltammetry indicated that the redox properties of the system could be altered by selective modification of the respective heteroatom (oxidation of sulfur and/or functionalization of trivalent phosphorus). Importantly, oxidation of the phosphorus center results in enhanced reduction features of the heterotetracene system, and oxidation of the sulfur center further enhances the electron acceptor character of the core. Theoretical calculations provided insights on both selectivity of phosphorus chemistry and communication between the two heteroatoms (sulfur and phosphorus). Macroscopic self-organization of the heterotetracenes was observed when the tetracene core is functionalized with pendant functional groups. Preliminary results showed that extension of the molecule with an alkyl chain along the long axis of molecules induces the formation of ID microfibers, which was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.