Synthesis and Study of Conjugated Carbazole Derivatives for Potential Use in Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs)

Abstract

Organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) are devices that use thin films of organic molecules to create light when electricity is applied. A full color display consists of red, green, and blue light emissions. Stable, long lived, red and green light emitting molecules have been successfully synthesized. Blue light emitting molecules have been synthesized, but suffer shorter lifetimes and less stability than red and green light emitting molecules. My research is currently focused on synthesizing conjugated carbazole centered compounds with the hope of creating a stable blue light emitting molecule. The parent molecule consists of 2,7-dibromocarbazole which will be coupled with two terminal subunits, 1-(2’,3’,4’,5’-tetraphenyl) phenyl-4-bromobenzene and 4-bromodiphenylacetylene (DPA) (Figure 1). The DPA subunit was formed through a Sonogashira coupling of a phenylacetylene with an aryl halide. DPA was then borylated via a Lithium-Halogen Exchange in order to be coupled to the central carbazole moiety. Current work involves producing diphenylacetylene, borylating it, and linking it to the carbazole through a Suzuki coupling reaction.