Tuning the Solid-State Luminescence of BODIPY Derivatives with Bulky Arylsilyl Groups: Synthesis and Spectroscopic Properties

Boron dipyrromethenes (BODIPYs) with bulky triphenylsilylphenyl(ethynyl) and triphenylsilylphenyl substituents on pyrrole sites were prepared via Hagihara–Sonogashira and Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling with ethynyl‐terminated tetraphenylsilane and boronic acid‐terminated tetraphenylsilane. The chromophores are designed to prevent intermolecular π–π stacking interaction and enhance fluorescence in the solid state. Single crystals of 1 a and 2 b for X‐ray structural analysis were obtained, and weak π–π stacking interactions of the neighboring BODIPY molecules were observed. Spectroscopic properties of all of the dyes in various solvents and in films were investigated. Triphenylsilylphenyl‐substituted BODIPYs generally show more pronounced increases in solid‐state emission than triphenylsilylphenyl(ethynyl)‐substituted BODIPYs. Although the simple BODIPYs do not exhibit any fluorescence in the solid state (Φ=0), arylsilyl‐substituted BODIPYs exhibit weak to moderate solid‐state fluorescence with quantum yields of 0.03, 0.07, 0.10, and 0.25. The structure–property relationships were analyzed on the basis of X‐ray crystallography, optical spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and theoretical calculations. Enhanced solid‐state emission: A series of arylsilyl‐substituted BODIPY (boron dipyrromethenes) dyes, designed to prevent intermolecular π–π stacking interactions and enhance emission in the solid state, were synthesized and their spectroscopic properties investigated. Although simple BODIPYs like 5 are nonfluorescent in the solid state (ΦF=0), arylsilyl‐substituted BODIPYs, such as 1 a and 2 a, exhibit ΦF values of up to 0.25 (see figure).