Molecular Modification of 2,6-Diphenylbenzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dichalcogenophenes by Introduction of Strong Electron-withdrawing Groups: Conversion from p- to n-Channel OFET Materials

Abstract 2,6-Diphenylbenzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene (DPh-BDT) and -diselenophene (DPh-BDS) as p-channel semiconducting materials were modified by introducing fluoro, cyano, or trifluoromethyl groups into the attached phenyl moieties. On examination of organic field-effect transistors fabricated using these modified compounds, the trifluoromethyl-substituted DPh-BDT and BDS derivatives were found to act as n-channel semiconductors with high electron mobilities of 0.044 and 0.10 cm2 V−1 s−1, respectively.