Semiconducting 2,6,9,10-Tetrakis(phenylethynyl)anthracene Derivatives: Effect of Substitution Positions on Molecular Energies

2,6-Bis((4-hexylphenyl)ethynyl)-9,10-bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene, 4, and 9,10-bis((4-hexylphenyl)ethynyl)-2,6-bis (phenyl ethynyl)anthracene, 5, have been synthesized to study their electronic and photophysical properties. It should be noted that the difference between these compounds is the substitution position of 1-ethynyl-4-hexylbenzene groups into an anthracene ring. In particular, substitution in the 9,10-positions of the anthracene ring enhanced J-aggregated intermolecular interactions. Since 5 has a lower bandgap energy and more compact film morphology, it exhibited higher hole mobility (∼0.27 cm2 V−1 s−1) in thin-film transistor devices.