Dramatic increase in charge carrier lifetime in a liquid crystalline perylene bisimide derivative upon bay substitution with chlorine

A perylene bisimide derivative bearing four chlorine substituents in the bay positions exhibits charge carrier mobility in the liquid crystalline phase similar to its parent compound, but the charge carrier lifetime is over 100 times greater than found in the non-chlorinated parent compound. This dramatic increase in lifetime is explained in terms of increased order in the modified material. This enhanced lifetime persists when the material is blended with hexabenzocoronene derivatives, and suggests the chlorinated derivative may find usefulness in device architectures where extended carrier lifetime is desirable.