Stokes shift/emission efficiency trade-off in donor–acceptor perylenemonoimides for luminescent solar concentrators

Perylenediimides (PDIs) are among the best performing organic luminescent materials, both in terms of emission efficiency and chemical and photochemical stability because of their rigid, symmetric and planar structure; however, they exhibit very small Stokes shifts. The sizeable reabsorption of the emitted light limits the performances of perylenediimides in imaging applications and luminescent solar concentrators. Perylenemonoimides (PMIs) having an electron donating substituent in one of the free peri positions feature larger Stokes shift values while retaining high chemical stability. The selection of the most appropriate donor, both in terms of electron donating capability and steric demand, boosts emission efficiency and limits reabsorption losses. The synthesis, optical spectroscopy, molecular orbital computations, UPS, electrochemical, spectroelectrochemical, and multinuclear NMR investigation of a series of PMI derivatives functionalized with donors having different electronic characteristics and steric demands are discussed. Results are relevant for the fabrication of single layer plastic luminescent solar concentrators (LSC).