Solution-processable thin-film transistors from anthradithiophene (ADT) and naphthothiopene (NT) small molecule-based p-type organic semiconductors

Sustainable green electronics is increasingly needed for a multitude of new applications that will fill daily life in the coming decades. The search for new semiconductor materials that can be used in light, flexible, ultra-thin and scalable devices has been given great attention, and especially directed towards organic materials, such as small molecules or polymers. One of the main strengths in such materials lies in those applications where it is not only important to achieve high performance in terms of electronic mobility but it is essential to have low temperatures, solution-processable, and low-cost manufacturing processes. We present the synthesis of novel, organic, solution-processable, small molecule semiconductor materials based on key synthons (ADT and NT) obtained through sustainable processes. Such p-type, π-conjugated molecular scaffolds have been obtained through cascade reaction sequences involving, amongst others, direct arylation protocols and cross-aldol condensations, affording organic compounds with intrinsically low E factors. We have realized air-stable, organic thin film transistors with very good performances, and demonstrated their use as UV-VIS photodetecting transistors with responsivity values matching currently available commercial detectors. © 2023 RSC.