A persistent diazaheptacene derivative

We describe the synthesis of characterizable diazaheptacene derivatives. Diazaheptacenes need four silylethynyl protecting groups to be isolable. TIPS-ethynyl groups are not bulky enough to allow stabilization. Four Si(sec-Bu)3-ethynyl groups symmetrically attached to the acene core sufficiently protect the formed diazaheptacene from dimerization through Diels–Alder reaction. It was characterized by NMR and UV–vis spectroscopies and cyclic voltammetry.