We describe the synthesis as well as the electronic and photophysical characterization of novel N-heterotriangulene derivatives decorated with methoxycarbonyl- and methyl-sulfanyl-substituted dithiafulvenyl moieties. The association of these electron-rich compounds with fullerene C60 as electron acceptor was investigated by means of photophysical, voltammetric, and mass spectrometric methods and rationalized by DFT calculations. Importantly, light-induced interactions between the dithiafulvene-substituted N-heterotriangulene bearing methoxycarbonyl substituents with C60 leads to cooperative fluorescence. Quantitative Job plot analyses by means of fluorescence spectroscopy and voltammetry confirm a 1:1 association with binding constants in the order of 104 m-1 . Supportive results for the supramolecular assembly of both N-heterotriangulenes with C60 were obtained by ESI mass spectrometric investigations in the gas phase.
Keywords: 1,3-dithiafulvene; N-heterotriangulenes; electrochemistry; fluorescence; fullerenes.
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