From a one-pot nickel-mediated Yamamoto-type coupling reaction of m-dibromobenzene, five congeners of [n]cyclo-meta-phenylenes were synthesized and fully characterized. The [n]cyclo-meta-phenylenes possessed a commonly shared arylene unit and intermolecular contacts but varied in packing structures in the crystalline solid state. Columnar assembly of larger congeners yielded nanoporous crystals with carbonaceous walls to capture minor protic or aliphatic solvent molecules. The concise and scalable synthesis allowed exploration of the macrocyclic hydrocarbons as bipolar charge carrier transport materials in organic light-emitting diode devices.

Mothball macrocycles: Naphthalene has been coupled to form macrocylic oligomers composed of five, six, and seven naphthalene units (see picture). Thermally stable macrocycles bearing 50, 60, or 70 π electrons within the hydrocarbon structure form columnar assemblies in crystals and serve as bipolar carrier transport materials in organic light‐emitting diode devices.

Aromatic hydrocarbon macrocycles for phosphorescent organic light-emitting devices with a single-layer architecture were designed.