Tuning the Inter-Chromophore Electronic Coupling in Perylene Diimide Dimers with Rigid Covalent Linkers

The organic multi-chromophore system has been increasingly attractive due to the potential optoelectronic applications. The inter-chromophore electronic coupling (EC), i.e., <i>J</i><sub>Coul</sub> and <i>J</i><sub>CT</sub>, plays a critical role in de...

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Main Authors: Guo Yu, Yixuan Gao, Yonghang Li, Yiran Tian, Xiaoyu Zhang, Yandong Han, Jinsheng Song, Wensheng Yang, Xiaonan Ma
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Molecules
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/12/2513
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author Guo Yu
Yixuan Gao
Yonghang Li
Yiran Tian
Xiaoyu Zhang
Yandong Han
Jinsheng Song
Wensheng Yang
Xiaonan Ma
author_facet Guo Yu
Yixuan Gao
Yonghang Li
Yiran Tian
Xiaoyu Zhang
Yandong Han
Jinsheng Song
Wensheng Yang
Xiaonan Ma
author_sort Guo Yu
collection DOAJ
description The organic multi-chromophore system has been increasingly attractive due to the potential optoelectronic applications. The inter-chromophore electronic coupling (EC), i.e., <i>J</i><sub>Coul</sub> and <i>J</i><sub>CT</sub>, plays a critical role in determining the relaxation path of the excited state. However, the molecular designing strategy for effective tuning of inter-chromophore EC is still challenging. In this computational work, we designed a series of perylene diimides (PDI) covalent dimers with rigid linking cores containing thiophene (Th) or phenyl (Ph) fragments and performed corresponding theoretical investigation to analyze the inter-PDI electronic coupling. Vibrational analysis indicated that the minimized excited state structural relaxation (ES-SR) can ensure the rigid inter-PDI geometry pre-defined by the topological characteristic of linking cores, leading to comparable |<i>J</i><sub>Coul</sub>| on S<sub>0</sub> and S<sub>1</sub> states. The saddle-shaped linking cores allow collaborative tuning of inter-PDI dihedral (<i>α</i>) and slipping (<i>θ</i>) angles, leading to effective tuning of inter-PDI |<i>J</i><sub>Coul</sub>| = 0–1000 cm<sup>−1</sup>. Our work provides a new molecular designing strategy for effective tuning of inter-chromophore EC for organic chromophores. By using a rigid inter-chromophore structure, the ignorable ES-SR allows simplified molecular designing without considering the plausible geometric difference between S<sub>1</sub> and S<sub>0</sub> states, which might be useful for future applications in organic optoelectronics.
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spelling doaj-art-5ac93ad0b0fa4950a384741b5041ca1c2025-08-20T02:21:06ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492025-06-013012251310.3390/molecules30122513Tuning the Inter-Chromophore Electronic Coupling in Perylene Diimide Dimers with Rigid Covalent LinkersGuo Yu0Yixuan Gao1Yonghang Li2Yiran Tian3Xiaoyu Zhang4Yandong Han5Jinsheng Song6Wensheng Yang7Xiaonan Ma8Institute of Molecular Plus, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, ChinaInstitute of Molecular Plus, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, ChinaInstitute of Molecular Plus, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, ChinaInstitute of Molecular Plus, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, ChinaEngineering Research Center for Nanomaterials, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, ChinaEngineering Research Center for Nanomaterials, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, ChinaEngineering Research Center for Nanomaterials, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, ChinaInstitute of Molecular Plus, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, ChinaInstitute of Molecular Plus, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, ChinaThe organic multi-chromophore system has been increasingly attractive due to the potential optoelectronic applications. The inter-chromophore electronic coupling (EC), i.e., <i>J</i><sub>Coul</sub> and <i>J</i><sub>CT</sub>, plays a critical role in determining the relaxation path of the excited state. However, the molecular designing strategy for effective tuning of inter-chromophore EC is still challenging. In this computational work, we designed a series of perylene diimides (PDI) covalent dimers with rigid linking cores containing thiophene (Th) or phenyl (Ph) fragments and performed corresponding theoretical investigation to analyze the inter-PDI electronic coupling. Vibrational analysis indicated that the minimized excited state structural relaxation (ES-SR) can ensure the rigid inter-PDI geometry pre-defined by the topological characteristic of linking cores, leading to comparable |<i>J</i><sub>Coul</sub>| on S<sub>0</sub> and S<sub>1</sub> states. The saddle-shaped linking cores allow collaborative tuning of inter-PDI dihedral (<i>α</i>) and slipping (<i>θ</i>) angles, leading to effective tuning of inter-PDI |<i>J</i><sub>Coul</sub>| = 0–1000 cm<sup>−1</sup>. Our work provides a new molecular designing strategy for effective tuning of inter-chromophore EC for organic chromophores. By using a rigid inter-chromophore structure, the ignorable ES-SR allows simplified molecular designing without considering the plausible geometric difference between S<sub>1</sub> and S<sub>0</sub> states, which might be useful for future applications in organic optoelectronics.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/12/2513perylene diimidecovalent dimerelectronic couplingstructural relaxationexcited statemolecular designing
spellingShingle Guo Yu
Yixuan Gao
Yonghang Li
Yiran Tian
Xiaoyu Zhang
Yandong Han
Jinsheng Song
Wensheng Yang
Xiaonan Ma
Tuning the Inter-Chromophore Electronic Coupling in Perylene Diimide Dimers with Rigid Covalent Linkers
Molecules
perylene diimide
covalent dimer
electronic coupling
structural relaxation
excited state
molecular designing
title Tuning the Inter-Chromophore Electronic Coupling in Perylene Diimide Dimers with Rigid Covalent Linkers
title_full Tuning the Inter-Chromophore Electronic Coupling in Perylene Diimide Dimers with Rigid Covalent Linkers
title_fullStr Tuning the Inter-Chromophore Electronic Coupling in Perylene Diimide Dimers with Rigid Covalent Linkers
title_full_unstemmed Tuning the Inter-Chromophore Electronic Coupling in Perylene Diimide Dimers with Rigid Covalent Linkers
title_short Tuning the Inter-Chromophore Electronic Coupling in Perylene Diimide Dimers with Rigid Covalent Linkers
title_sort tuning the inter chromophore electronic coupling in perylene diimide dimers with rigid covalent linkers
topic perylene diimide
covalent dimer
electronic coupling
structural relaxation
excited state
molecular designing
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/12/2513
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