Aromatic compounds with extended π-conjugated system have attracted attention because of their potential use in organic electronics as organic semiconductors.[1]
Of academic interest, pentacene has been widely used as an active layer in organic thin-film field-effect transistors (OFET). The main drawback of pentacene OFET is degradation upon exposure to light and air. On the other hand, [n]phenacenes, an isomeric form of [n]acenes, has been known as a stable compound in which the benzene rings are fused in a zigzag structure. For the past several years, there is renewed interest in synthesis of [n]phenacene derivatives associated with electronic applications in emissive and semi- or superconducting materials.[2][3][4]
Picene ([5]phenacene) can serve as an active layer of a high-performance p-channel organic thin-film FET with very high field-effect mobility μ = 5 cm2/(V⋅s).[5] [7]Phenacene FET shows μ = 0.75 cm2/(V⋅s) and no sensitivity to air. Furthermore, picene doped with potassium and rubidium exhibit superconductivity with a maximum critical temperature TC ≈ 18 K.[4] Thus, [n]phenacenes and their derivatives may play an important role in future fabrication of stable and high-performance electronic devices such as OFET, OLED and organic solar cells. Substituted picenes may serve as an active layer of OFETs.[6]
^Komura, N.; Goto, H.; He, X.; Mitamura, H.; Eguchi, R.; Kaji, Y.; Okamoto, H.; Sugawara, Y.; Gohda, S.; Sato, K.; Kubozono, Y. (2012). "Characteristics of [6]phenacene thin film field-effect transistor". Appl. Phys. Lett. 101 (8): 083301. Bibcode:2012ApPhL.101h3301K. doi:10.1063/1.4747201.
^Ionkin, A. S.; Marshall, W. J.; Fish, B. M.; Bryman, L. M.; Wang, Y. (2008). "A tetra-substituted chrysene: orientation of multiple electrophilic substitution and use of a tetra-substituted chrysene as a blue emitter for OLEDs". Chem. Commun. (20): 2319. doi:10.1039/b715386d.
