Single crystals of thiophene−phenelyne co-oligomers (TPCOs) have previously shown their potential for organic optoelectronics. Here we report on solution growth of large-area thin single-crystalline films of TPCOs at the gas−liquid interface by using solvent−antisolvent crystallization, isothermal slow solvent evaporation, and isochoric cooling. The studied co-oligomers contain identical conjugated core (5,5′diphyenyl-2,2′-bithiophene) and different terminal substituents, fluorine, trimethylsilyl, or trifluoromethyl. The fabricated films are molecularly smooth over areas larger than 10 × 10 μm 2 , which is of high importance for organic field-effect devices. The low-defect structure of the TPCO crystals is suggested from the monoexponential kinetics of the PL decay measured in a wide dynamic range (up to four decades) and from low crystal mosaicity assessed by microfocus X-ray diffraction. The TPCO crystal structure is solved using a combination of X-ray and electron diffraction. The terminal substituents affect the crystal structure of TPCOs, bringing about the formation of a noncentrosymmetric crystal lattice with a crystal symmetry Cc for the bulkiest trimethylsilyl terminal groups, which is unusual for linear conjugated oligomers. Comparing the different crystal growth techniques, it is concluded that the solvent−antisolvent crystallization is the most robust for fabrication of single-crystalline TPCOs films. The possible nucleation and crystallization mechanisms operating at the gas−solution interface are discussed.

Thiophene-phenylene co-oligomers (TPCOs) are among the most promising materials for organic light emitting devices. Here we report on record high among TPCO single crystals photoluminescence quantum yield reaching 60%. The solution-grown crystals are stronger luminescent than the vapor-grown ones, in contrast to a common believe that the vapor-processed organic electronic materials show the highest performance. We also demonstrate that the solution-grown TPCO single crystals perform in organic field effect transistors as good as the vapor-grown ones. Altogether, the solution-grown TPCO crystals are demonstrated to hold great potential for organic electronics.

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A new linear luminophore consisting of five conjugated units of oxazole, phenylene and a central benzothiadiazole fragment, 4,7-bis[4-(1,3-oxazol-5-yl)phenyl]-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole, has been synthesized and characterized. Needle-like single-crystal samples up to 10 mm in length were obtained by physical vapor transport. The crystal structure was determined at 95 K and 293 K using single-crystal X-ray diffraction. With decreasing temperature, the space group P21/n does not change, but the unit-cell volume of the crystal decreases. The presence of intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonds was established. Melting parameters (T m = 305.5°C, ΔH m = 52.2 kJ mol−1) and the presence of a liquid-crystalline mesophase (T LC = 336.3°C, ΔH LC = 1.4 kJ mol−1) were determined by differential scanning calorimetry and in situ thermal polarization optical microscopy studies. The presence of linear chains of hydrogen bonds ensures high stability of the crystal structure in a wide temperature range. The luminophore is characterized by a large Stokes shift (5120–5670 cm−1) and a high quantum yield of fluorescence, reaching 96% in solutions (λmax = 517 nm) and 27% in thin crystalline films (λmax = 529 nm). The calculated absorption and emission spectra are in good agreement with the experimental data. Because of the excellent optical properties and high thermal stability, the new linear luminophore has great potential for application in organic photonics and optoelectronic devices.

The synthesis, growth from solutions and structure of crystals of a new linear thiophene–phenylene co‐oligomer with a central benzothiadiazole fragment with a conjugated core, (TMS‐2T‐Ph)2‐BTD, are presented. Single‐crystal samples in the form of needles with a length of up to 7 mm were grown and their crystal structure was determined at 85 K and 293 K using single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. The conformational differences between the crystal structures are insignificant. The parameters of melting and liquid crystalline phase transitions of (TMS‐2T‐Ph)2‐BTD were established using differential scanning calorimetry and the thermal stability of the crystals was investigated using thermogravimetric analysis. The optical absorption and photoluminescence spectra of the solutions and crystals of (TMS‐2T‐Ph)2‐BTD were obtained, and the kinetics of their photodegradation under the action of UV radiation were studied.

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