Large polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: Synthesis and discotic organization

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have attracted enormous interest due to their unique electronic and optoelectronic properties as well as the potential applications in organic electronics. This article reviews the progress in the modern synthesis of large PAHs with different sizes, shapes, edge structures, and substituents. Due to their outstanding self-organization characteristics, the discotic liquid-crystalline properties, self-assembled nanostructures on the surfaces, as well as the application in electronic devices will be discussed.