Abstract

Partial substitution of CH groups in the skeletons of linearly fused phenyl rings provides an appreciable possibility to tailor their properties. Among them, azaacenes induced from a partial substitution of oligoacenes by nitrogen are one of the most promising derivatives with a view of their potential application in organic electronic devices as a novel organic n-type semiconductor. Hence this review focuses on recent progress in the synthesis of azaacenes and their applications beyond organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) such as organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), phototransistors, photoelectrical chemical cells, organic memory, solar cells, conductors and sensors.

Keywords: Azaacenes, electronic devices, light-emitting diodes, n-type semiconductors, organic sensors, solar cells.