A newly designed anthracene derivative having gluconamides at its peripheral branches formed a photo-responsive hydrogel. SEM observation of the xerogel showed a network structure consisting of fibrils. Upon photoirradiation (λ >300 nm) of the hydrogel, regioselective photodimerization of the anthracene moiety occurred to give head-to-tail photodimers and the physical state changed from the gel to the sol.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were well dispersed in both water and organic solvent by the use of fullerodendron as a dispersant. A C₆₀ moiety at the focal point of dendron plays a crucial role in the dispersing process, because dendron having an anthracene unit at the focal point can not disperse SWNTs in THF. The dispersions of SWNTs were characterized by UV–vis–NIR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, SEM, HRTEM, and AFM.

A new phenacene-type molecule, [lsqb]8[rsqb]phenacene, which is an extended zigzag chain of coplanar fused benzene rings, has been synthesised for use in an organic field-effect transistor (FET). The molecule consists of a phenacene core of eight benzene rings, which has a lengthy [pgr]-conjugated system. The structure was verified by elemental analysis, solid-state NMR, X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern, absorption spectrum and photoelectron yield spectroscopy (PYS). This type of molecule is quite interesting, not only as pure chemistry but also for its potential electronics applications. Here we report the physical properties of [lsqb]8[rsqb]phenacene and its FET application. An [lsqb]8[rsqb]phenacene thin-film FET fabricated with an SiO2 gate dielectric showed clear p-channel characteristics. The highest [mgr] achieved in an [lsqb]8[rsqb]phenacene thin-film FET with an SiO2 gate dielectric is 1.74[emsp14]cm2 V-1 s-1, demonstrating excellent FET characteristics; the average [mgr] was evaluated as 1.2(3)[emsp14]cm2 V-1 s-1. The [mgr] value in the [lsqb]8[rsqb]phenacene electric-double-layer FET reached 16.4[emsp14]cm2 V-1 s-1, which is the highest reported in EDL FETs based on phenacene-type molecules; the average [mgr] was evaluated as 8(5)[emsp14]cm2 V-1 s-1. The [mgr] values recorded in this study show that [lsqb]8[rsqb]phenacene is a promising molecule for transistor applications.