Persulfurated p-phenylene sulfide (PPS) molecular asterisks (6-9) from "generations" 1 to 4 were efficiently prepared. They represent a new class of electron-accepting PPS star-shaped nanomolecules. Spectroelectrochemistry, cyclic voltammetry and UV-visible studies were performed for the asterisks and for functionalized p-phenylene sulfide oligomers (1-4). These data confirmed for the first time that an electronic delocalization through the whole asterisk molecule exists in the radical anionic or dianionic forms, in spite of divalent sulfur bridges between phenyl groups. They could be seen as globular spheres with a three-dimensional electronic network and delocalization. Electrochemical studies indicated that sulfur substituents strongly stabilize the reduced form of the asterisk relative to coronene itself, and the ease of reduction depends on the PPS chain length.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.