Multifunctionalized octamethoxy-[8]cycloparaphenylene: facile synthesis and analysis of novel photophysical and photoinduced electron transfer properties

The physical properties of conjugated cycloparaphenylene-based materials highly depend on their sizes, geometries, and functional groups. Herein we reported a facile strategy to synthesize novel multifunctionalized octamethoxy-[8]cycloparaphenylene (OMe-[8]CPP). Remarkably, an unusual hypsochromic shift in the emission spectrum was observed compared to its unfunctionalized nanoring. In addition, the photoinduced electron transfer process between OMe-[8]CPP and a naphthalene diimide electron acceptor is studied for the first time. OMe-[8]CPP will provide a suitable platform for subsequent synthesis manipulations to construct interesting and unprecedented functional nanocarbon structures.