A comparison of linear optical properties and redox properties in chalcogenopyrylium dyes bearing ortho-substituted aryl substituents and tert-butyl substituents

A series of thiapyrylium pentamethine dyes (4 and 12-15) bearing 2,2'-di-tert-butyl-6,6'-diphenyl, 2,2'-di-tert-butyl-6,6'-bis(2,6-dimethylphenyl), 2,2'-di-tert-butyl-6,6'-bis(2-methylphenyl), 2,2',6,6'-tetrakis(2,6-dimethylphenyl), and 2,2',6,6'-tetrakis(2-methylphenyl) substituents, respectively, were prepared and their linear optical properties and electrochemical redox properties were measured and compared to thiapyrylium pentamethine dyes 3 and 5. The tert-butyl and 2,6-dimethylphenyl substituents give nearly identical chromophores with respect to values of lambda(max), molar extinction coefficients (epsilon), bandwidths at half-height (v(1/2)), and lack of absorption in the visible spectrum. The 2-methylphenyl substituent imparts linear optical properties that are intermediate between those of the tert-butyl and phenyl substituents. The 2,6-dimethylphenyl and 2-methylphenyl substituents impart greater oxidative stability based on anodic shifts in oxidation potential.