Photophysical properties of 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexakis(n-hexylsulfanyl)triphenylene and 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexakis(n-hexylsulfonyl)triphenylene in solution

The photophysical properties of 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexakis(n-hexylsulfanyl)triphenylene and 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexakis(n-hexylsulfonyl)triphenylene have been investigated by absorption, fluorescence and phosphorescence spectroscopy and compared with parent triphenylene and 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexakis(n-hexyloxy)triphenylene. It is concluded that alkylsulfanyl substituents interact more strongly with the triphenylene core than alkylsulfonyl and alkyloxy substituents, as revealed by the absorption and emission spectra as well as by the rate constants for the radiative and non-radiative processes. In terms of photophysical properties, 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexakis(n-hexylsulfonyl)triphenylene and 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexakis(n-hexyloxy)triphenylene are very much alike. 2,3,6,7,10,11-Hexakis(n-hexylsulfanyl)triphenylene aggregates in cyclohexane at concentrations above ca. 10(-3) M.