Highly Fluorescent Pyridinium Betaines for Light Harvesting

We report the findings of our experimental and theoretical investigations into the properties of pyridinium enolates and their potential utility in light‐harvesting applications, such as in luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs). We present the synthesis, structures, photophysical characterization, and wavefunction‐based quantum‐chemical studies of five cyclobetaines. The performance of an LSC device incorporating one of these cyclobetaines is shown to be comparable to state‐of‐the‐art devices. Experiment and theory: Pyridinium enolates and their potential utility in light‐harvesting applications, such as in luminescent solar concentrators, were studied experimentally and theoretically. The synthesis, structures, photophysical properties, and wavefunction‐based quantum‐chemical studies of five cyclobetaines are presented.