Quantitative substituent effects in nitrogen-containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: implications for metal ion complexation

Abstract

Quantitative analysis of substituent effects guides N-PAH design. A one-pot Suzuki–Miyaura and carbonyl–amino condensation synthesis enables efficient N-PAH construction. Substituents correlate linearly with Hammett constants (σ), influencing oxidation potentials, HOMO/LUMO levels, and Zn²⁺ binding. Optical properties follow an inverted V-trend, aiding molecular recognition and optoelectronic materials optimization.