Four acceptor–donor–acceptor (A–D–A)-type molecules bearing indacenodithiophene as donating central core and various end-capping acceptor units have been designed and synthesised as n-type materials suitable for organic solar cells (OSCs). The studied optical and electrochemical properties supported by theoretical calculations revealed that the nature and the strength of the terminal groups exert a decisive influence on the polymer bulk-heterojunction OSC performance.

For more than a century, electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions have been central to the construction of a rich variety of organic molecules useful in all aspects of human life. Typically, small aromatic nuclei such as benzene provide an ideal substrate. An increase in the number of annulated aromatic rings enhances the number of potential reactive sites and frequently results into complex product mixtures. Thus, nanographenes, with a relatively large aromatic system, are seldom selective in their substitution positions. Moreover, nanographene substrates with scope for multiple substitution reactions and patterns remains rare. Herein, we demonstrate that a curved aromatic system based on a corannulene-coronene hybrid structure comprising of 48 conjugated sp2-carbon atoms allows for direct and regioselective edge-functionalization through bromination, nitration, formylation, and Friedel-Crafts acylation in good yields. The post-synthetically installed functional groups can be modified through versatile organic chemistry transformations including (mechanochemical) Suzuki-Miyaura, Sonogashira-Hagihara, and Buchwald-Hartwig amination reactions. Furthermore, the substitutions can be carried out in a sequential manner to yield hetero-functional structures. The edge-functionalization strategy enables modular access to nanostructures with appealing properties, such as strong fluorescence emission in the visible and the near-infrared regions (475-900 nm) with record Stokes shifts (>300 nm), at an exceptionally small carbon footprint (C48).

This work describes the synthesis and characterization of novel organometallic polymeric frameworks derived from lactone-based poly(benzofuran-co-arylacetic acid) (PBAAA) ligands complexed with 3d transition metal salts (Co²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺). Two distinct synthetic approaches were investigated: conventional solution-based methods and mechanochemical ball milling. A comprehensive spectroscopic evaluation was performed utilizing FTIR, XRD, UV-Vis, and XPS techniques to detail the structural characteristics of the synthesized materials. The thermal assessments were conducted using TGA and thermal conductivity, demonstrating that the chosen synthesis method has a significant impact on the crystallinity, coordination environment, and thermal transport characteristics of the resultant complexes. Remarkably, using the mechanosynthesis, the resulting organometallic polymer materials exhibited enhanced chain ordering and improved thermal conductivity, with a value of 0.32 W/mK, almost double that of the starting polymer. A correlation was identified among thermal conductivity, metal ionic radius, coordination number, and the synthesis method utilized. XPS analysis revealed the presence of multiple oxidation states and varied electronic environments, particularly in copper complexes. These had a direct effect on how they behaved when heated. These results show that mechanochemical synthesis is a useful and long-lasting method to make complex organometallic polymers with thermal properties that can be changed.

Scaling up polymerization reactions presents significant challenges due to unpredictabilities in the entire process, requiring careful attention to both mass and heat transfer dynamics. This work reveals the scale-up of the self-catalyzed polyesterification of tartaric acid from 5 g to 500 g (a scale-up factor of 100) through a simplified method without using a catalyst or solvent. In this instance, key operating parameters—including reaction conditions such as temperature, duration, and chemical composition—are kept constant, thus standardizing the reaction conditions. A pilot plant designed to simulate potential industrial sizes has been established to optimize the implementation of larger scales. The primary focus of the scale-up process is maintaining a consistent heat removal capacity across different reactor sizes. Additionally, the impact of upscaling on the polymer structure is analysed using solid-state ¹³C-NMR and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), which provide measurable criteria for the success of the procedure. Finally, this paper examines the changes in the thermal conductivity properties of polytartaric acid resulting from the polymerisation scale-up process.