Synthesis, optical, electrochemical, and magnetic properties of new ferrocenyl chalcone semiconductors for optoelectronic applications

Abstract

A ferrocenyl chalcone (OFcPV) with attractive optical and magnetic properties for its potential application in optoelectronic devices, excellent processability in solution, and thermal stability is reported. It was derived from the synthesis of ferrocenyl chalcone with different degrees of conjugation and the preliminary selection of the most attractive molecule based on its linear optical and electrochemical properties, and processability. Three ferrocene-derived compounds: a low-molecular weight molecule (3FcPV), an oligomer (OFcPV), and a polymer (PFcPV) were synthesized through Friedel–Crafts reactions and aldol condensations. The chemical structure of the compounds has been elucidated by proton nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopies. UV–Vis and fluorescence spectroscopies were used to evaluate the optical properties of these new compounds. The frontier orbitals levels of the materials deposited as films were determined using cyclic voltammetry. The optical bandgaps for 3FcPV, OFcPV, and PFcPV were 2.8, 2.4, and 2.36 eV, respectively. These results place these materials within the organic semiconductors and evidence the influence of the degree of electronic conjugation of the molecule in the reduction of the bandgap. The results showed that the oligomer and the polymer possess similar electronic and optical properties. However, the oligomer solubility improves the processability necessary for the manufacturing photonic devices. OFcPV was characterized by Z-scan technique, and the results indicate that OFcPV is candidate to be used as an optical limiter, fast optical switch, or optical logic gates. Also, OFcPV exhibits quasi-superparamagnetic behavior resulting from the iron disposal in the structure.