Dr. Tomas Torres

Abstract

On-surface synthesis offers a versatile approach to prepare novel carbon-based nanostructures that cannot be obtained by conventional solution chemistry. Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) have potential for a variety of applications. A key issue for their application in molecular electronics is in the fine-tuning of their electronic properties through structural modifications, such as heteroatom doping or the incorporation of non-benzenoid rings ^[1]. Porphyrinoids are ideal for this purpose. Phthalocyanines ^[2] are aromatic molecules with 18 pi-electrons and a strong absorption in the visible range (light-harvesting, high extinction coefficients, broad coverage of solar spectrum), HOMO/LUMO levels adjusted to the electrodes (rich redox chemistry, photoinduced electron transfer), good processability (solution-processing or vacuum-technology), ability for packing in solid state (control of morphology, self-assembling properties), and excellent charge transport properties. They have been linked to different carbon nanostructures ^[2]. Subphthalocyanines (SubPcs) ^[3] are well-known cone-shaped chromophores consisting of three 1,3-diiminoisoindole units assembled around a boron atom. As a result of their 14 pi-electron aromatic core and their tetrahedral geometry, SubPcs exhibit outstanding physical and optoelectronic properties (e.g., strong dipole moment, excellent light absorption in the 550-650 nm, rich redox features, and excellent charge transport capabilities), that have been skillfully used in variety of applied fields, such as molecular photovoltaics, among others.

[1]  S. Clair, D. G. de Oteyza, Chem. Rev. 2019, 119, 4717

[2]  G. Bottari, et al. Coord. Chem. Rev. 2021, 428, 213605

[3]  G. Lavarda, J. Labella, M. V. Martinez-Diaz, M. S. Rodriguez Morgade, A. Osuka, T. Torres, Chem. Soc. Rev. 2022, 51, 9482-9619.

Speaker Bio