Triarylamine-based molecules: Synthesis, characterization and application

Abstract

A bridged triphenylamine, which is locked by three methylene linkages at ortho-positions of benzene rings, has been designed and synthesized. The methylene units in bridged triphenylamine hold the three phenyl rings in a locked, planar manner and thus enhance the pi conjugation through the central nitrogen atoms, which is verified by single crystal X-ray diffraction. A series of molecules based on the bridged triphenylamines were synthesized that show large two-photon absorption with the values of cross section up to 6100 GM, remarkably higher than their triphenylamine counterparts. These locked triphenylamine two-photon absorbers are expected to form a class of materials with good promise in the field of nonlinear optics. Also due to the good hole transporting ability, these triphenylamines were applied in light emitting diodes.