Synthesis and photophysical properties of charge transfer cocrystals based on TCNB and fluorene and its derivatives

Abstract

A series of charge transfer cocrystals with fluorescence properties involving 1,2,4,5-tetracyanobenzene (TCNB, C₁₀H₂N₄) as acceptor, fluorene (FR, C₁₃H₁₀) and its bromide 2-bromofluorene (2-BrFR, C₁₃H₉Br), carbazole (CZ, C₁₂H₉N) and its bromide 2-bromocarbazole (2-BrCZ, C₁₂H₈BrN) as donor were synthesized via cocrystal design strategies. The formation mechanism of the crystal structure was explored by density functional theory at the molecular level. The stacking structure of the cocrystal was formed by the combination of charge transfer interactions, π–π interactions and hydrogen bonding. The N atom of donors in TCNB–CZ and TCNB–2-BrCZ could enhance the charge transfer, appearing as a red shift of the fluorescence emission wavelength. Conversely, the Br atom in TCNB–2-BrFR and TCNB–2-BrCZ weakens the charge transfer, giving a blue shift in the fluorescence emission spectrum. The four new cocrystals exhibit tunable luminescence from green (529 nm) to yellow (552 nm) and to red (604 nm and 614 nm). It was found that the introduction of N and Br atoms in the assembly units can not only regulate the luminescence range of the cocrystals, but also adjust the luminescence efficiency, which provides a strategy for the development of promising organic luminescent materials.