Phosphonium‐ and Borate‐Bridged Zwitterionic Ladder Stilbene and Its Extended Analogues

Abstract

A rung up: A polar and rigid stilbene with phosphonium and borate bridging moieties was synthesized by the spontaneous cyclization of a boryl- and phosphanyl-substituted diphenylacetylene (see picture). Various extended ladder π-conjugated molecules can be synthesized in this manner. The zwitterionic moiety significantly modulates the electronic structure, thus leading to attractive fluorescence and redox properties.