Lauren Mercier, PhD Candidate.

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY

CHEMISTRY 601/603

FINAL PhD PRESENTATION

SPEAKER:            Lauren Mercier, PhD Candidate.

DATE:                     Monday, December 12, 2011.

TIME:                      11:00 a.m.

PLACE:                  ST 143.

TITLE:                    Design, Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Fluorescent Organoboron and Organosilicon Materials

ABSTRACT: Conjugated organic materials are often incorporated into optoelectronic devices since absorption and emission properties can be easily tuned. This is accomplished by altering the energy gap between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO). Heteroatoms such as boron and silion have been shown to effectively lower the energy of the LUMO, particularly in cyclic systems. Integration of these heteroatoms can change absorption and emission wavelengths by introducing charge-transfer character and can also serve to rigidify the organic framework, thereby increasing fluorescence efficiencies. This talk will outline the design and synthesis of heterocyclic organic systems containing boron and/or silicon atoms in the central rings. Specifically, materials containing borepin (1) and silepin (meta-2, para-2) cores will be discussed, as well as compounds with two heteroatoms in the central ring (3a, 3b, 3c). The unique photophysical properties of these organic materials will be presented.