Azomethine diimides end-capped with anthracene moieties: Experimental and theoretical investigations

Abstract New arylene bisimide derivatives containing imine linkages and anthracene units were synthesized. Azomethine diimides were prepared via condensation reaction of 9-anthracenecarboxaldehyde and diamines with phthalic diimide or naphthalene diimide core and Schiff base linkers. They were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). The synthesized compounds exhibited high resistance against thermal decomposition up to 400 °C. Investigated compounds are electrochemically active and undergo reversible electrochemical reduction and irreversible oxidation processes as was found in cyclic voltammetry studies. The photoluminescence measurements of synthesized compounds in solid state as thin film on glass substrate revealed their ability to emission of the blue light with quantum yield efficiency about 2%. The electronic structure and spectroscopic properties of prepared azomethine diimides were also calculated by the density functional theory (DFT). The electrical properties of the diimide derivatives were preliminary investigated by current–voltage measurements.