Synthesis and characterization of 1,7-disubstituted and 1,6,7,12-tetrasubstituted perylenetetracarboxy-3,4:9,10-diimide derivatives

A variety of perylenetetracarboxy-3,4:9,10-diimide derivatives have been synthesized. Particular attention was paid to substituents in positions 1, 6, 7 or 12. The energy differences between the frontier orbitals have been determined using optical spectroscopy (UV and fluorescence). The energy of the lowest unoccupied orbitals (LUMOs) were obtained by cyclic voltammetry. From both studies, the energies of the highest occupied orbitals (HOMOs) were also been calculated. A Hammett-type relationship was observed for the reduction potentials (Ered11/2) when correlated with the σ−ortho parameter. The energies of the frontier orbitals define the domains of application of these compounds. They significantly depend on the substitution in positions 1, 6, 7, or 12.