SYNTHETIC METHODS AND FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR OPTOELECTRONICS
DEVELOPMENT OF TRANSITION METAL CATALYZED CROSS-COUPLING REACTIONS
Over the last fifteen years, we have developed a number of Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling protocols, especially for Csp2-Csp2 bond formation, targeting the synthesis of opto- and electroactive p-conjugated compounds. We are focused on methods that are not only highly selective and efficient but also sustainable. Recently, we have developed green methods for direct (hetero)arylation via C-H bond activation, using sustainable solvents (e.g. deep eutectic solvents), or even no solvent, and IR irradiation as a convenient energy source.
SYNTHESIS OF MOLECULAR AND POLYMERIC SEMICONDUCTORS FOR APPLICATIONS IN PHOTONICS AND OPTOELECTRONICS
Several classes of electroluminescent polymers, and particularly poly(phenylenevinylene)s have been designed and synthesized using organometallic cross-coupling reactions. A special expertise of our group is the synthesis of conjugated polymers, small molecules and organometallic complexes with selectively fluorinated backbone. In fact, fluorination has been demonstrated as a convenient structural modification to increase the stability of conjugated materials against photooxidation and to tune the emission colour over all the visible spectrum.
POLYMERS FOR PHOTOVOLTAICS
Functional polymers for bulk heterojunction solar cells based on different heteroarylene systems, also conjugated with double bonds, have been developed. Fluorination has been explored also in this context as a structural modification able to improve the performances of the resulting materials in polymer solar cells.
SYNTHESIS OF BIO-FUNCTIONALIZED MOLECULAR AND POLYMERIC SEMICONDUCTORS
Functionalization of conjugated polymers with small enantiopure biomolecules, such as monosaccharides or amino acids, induces chiral supramolecular architectures in the solid state. Synthetic methods to chiral bio-functionalized polymers have been studied. The chiral organization of the resulting materials in the solid state has been investigated. Finally, a new generation of high-performance enantioselective transistor sensors has been demonstrated based on the chiral bio-conjugated polymers as the active thin films.
