Macromolecular tetrathiafulvalene chemistry

Abstract

Recent developments in the functionalisation of tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) have enabled TTF units to be covalently linked into macromolecular systems. Convergent syntheses of dendrimers containing TTF units are presented, including a (TTF)₁₃ system in which TTF units are emplaced at all layers of the structural hierarchy. Thin layer cyclic voltammetry has established that the redox activity of TTF is retained in these macromolecules: sequential oxidation to the radical cation and dication occurs for all the TTF units, yielding highly-charged species in solution. Macromolecules comprising four and eight TTF units built around a phthalocyanine core are also described. These materials present novel architectures with the key property of multi-electron redox activity.