Synthesis, electronic properties, and x-ray structural characterization of tetrarylbenzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']difuran cation radicals

Electroactive tetraarylbenzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']difuran (BDF) and model diarylbenzofuran derivatives are synthesized and their structures are established by X-ray crystallography. Isolation and X-ray crystallographic characterization of the robust cation-radical salts of BDF derivatives confirm that a single charge in the BDFs is stabilized largely by the benzodifuran and coplanar alpha-aryl groups lying on the longitudinal axis. These findings suggest that the linear arrays of BDFs may allow the construction of molecular wires suitable for long-range electron transport.