Functionalized perylenes: origin of the enhanced electrical performances

In this letter we compare the transistor performances of two solution-processed perylene derivatives: N,N'-bis (n-octyl)- dicyanoperylene-3,4:9,10-bis(dicarboximide) (PDI8-CN2) and N,N'-1H,1H-perfluorobutyl dicyanoperylenediimide (PDIF-CN2). Perylenediimide nitrogen functionalization with perfluoroalkyl vs. alkyl chains improves the electron mobility of solution-processed organic field effect transistors (OFETs) by one order of magnitude. Time resolved spectroscopy allows attributing this increment to a higher degree of co-facial arrangement of the fluorinated molecules. This supramolecular arrangement enhances the pi-pi overlap leading to more efficient electron transport.