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Jeremie Miller
Chemisty

Michael Haley, Mentor

Synthesis and Properties of Tetrakis (phenylethynyl) benzenes

Molecules containing extensive conjugated pathways of electrons have attracted much interest in recent years. The possibilities for these systems to exhibit conductivity or superconductivity has piqued the interest of many researchers. The aim of the Haley lab is to synthesize tetraethynylarenes with strategically placed donor and acceptor groups, giving electron push-pull pathways within the molecule. As a result of the electron flow, these molecules, along with their cyclized planar counterparts, should exhibit second and third order non-linear optical properties. Through fusion of donor and acceptor substituted groups ortho, meta, and para to each other on the central aryl ring, tunability of the system is possible via the positioning and orientation of the electron pathways. The synthesis takes advantage of the Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction in which the outer aryl rings with donor or acceptor groups are connected to a central haloarene.