Optimized synthesis of π-extended squaraine dyes relevant to organic electronics by direct (hetero)arylation and Sonogashira coupling reactions

catalysts, respectively, lead to improved isolated yields of the final materials. Compounds 10-13 were characterized by thermal gravimetric analysis, cyclic voltammetry, optical absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and each structure was analysed using density functional theory. All compounds exhibit high thermal stability and good solubility in common organic solvents, including in the greener alternative 2-methyl tetrahydrofuran. The reported compounds display stable ambipolar redox behaviour, furthermore, we have demonstrated that the frontier molecular energy levels can be effectively tuned by changing the bridging unit as predicted by density functional theory. Most striking is the drastic optical absorption profile changes observed from this class of materials upon post-deposition film annealing, suggesting molecular rearrangement in the solid-state. The induced changes and fine structure observed upon post-deposition annealing is unique to these π-extended squaraines with nothing like it reported in the literature for related squaraine based materials.