Atomically Precise Distorted Nanographenes: The Effect of Different Edge Functionalization on the Photophysical Properties down to the Femtosecond Scale

Nanographenes (NGs) have been attracting widespread interest since they combine peculiar properties of graphene with molecular features, such as bright visible photoluminescence. However, our understanding of the fundamental properties of NGs is still hampered by the high degree of heterogeneity usually characterizing most of these materials. In this context, NGs obtained by atomically precise synthesis routes represent optimal benchmarks to unambiguously relate their properties to well-defined structures. Here we investigate in deep detail the optical response of three curved hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene (HBC) derivatives obtained by atomically precise synthesis routes. They are constituted by the same graphenic core, characterized by the presence of a heptagon ring determining a saddle distortion of their sp(2) network, and differ from each other for slightly different edge functionalization. The quite similar structure allows for performing a direct comparison of their spectroscopic features, from steady-state down to the femtosecond scale, and precisely disentangling the role played by the different edge chemistry.

Automated summary

Nanographenes (NGs) have unique properties that combine the characteristics of graphene and molecular features, such as bright visible photoluminescence. However, the heterogeneity of most NGs hinders our understanding of their fundamental properties. This study investigates the optical response of three curved hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene (HBC) derivatives obtained by atomically precise synthesis routes, allowing for a direct comparison of their spectroscopic features and the role played by different edge chemistry.