de Lera-Garrido F., Domínguez R., Fernández-Liencres M.P., Martín C., Tolosa J., García-Frutos E.M., Perles J., Hofkens J., García-Martínez J.C., Garzón-Ruiz A., Navarro A.
Dyes and Pigments
The rational design of electroluminescent compounds has been recognized as a promising strategy to maximize the efficiency of electronic devices. In this work, we analyze the impact of the substitution of n-alkyl and n-alkoxy side chains by bulkier side groups (tert-butyl and tert-butoxy) on the photophysics of the two model fluorophores 1,3,5-tris(styryl)benzene and 1,2,4,5-tetra(styryl)benzene. We found that the bulky side groups have a significant contribution to the vibrational normal modes associated with the non-radiative deactivation. The aggregation-induced enhanced emission phenomenon observed in some cases was attributed to the blocking of the trans<U+2192>cis photoisomerization and the restriction of intramolecular vibrations. In the solid state, the bulky side groups have demonstrated to play a determining role in the supramolecular structure and photophysical properties, particularly in the case of the tetra(styryl)benzenes. In light-emitting devices, we found that the incorporation of the bulky side groups in oligo(styryl)benzenes could reduce the electromer formation and improve the device performance. The tetra(styryl)benzenes, and particularly the tert-butyl derivative, showed better device performance, with lower turn-on voltage, higher current density and electroluminescent intensity. © 2023
