Tin(IV)
phthalocyanines (SnPcs) are promising candidates for low-cost
organic electronic devices, and have been employed in organic photovoltaics
(OPVs) and organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs). However, they remain
relatively understudied compared to their silicon phthalocyanine (SiPc)
analogues. Previously, we reported the first solution-processed SnPc
semiconductors for OTFTs and OPVs; however, the performances of these
derivatives were unexpected. Herein to further study the behavior
of these derivatives in OPVs and OTFTs, we report the synthesis along
with optical and thermal characterization of seven axially substituted
(OR)2-SnPcs, five of which were synthesized for the first
time. Density functional theory (DFT) was used to predict charge-carrier
mobilities for our materials in their crystal state. The application
of these SnPcs as ternary additives in poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT)/phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) OPVs and as
semiconductors in solution-processed n-type OTFTs was also investigated.
When employed as ternary additives in OPVs, all (OR)2-SnPcs
decreased the power conversion efficiency, open-circuit voltage, short-circuit
current, and fill factor. However, in OTFTs, four of the seven materials
exhibited greater electron field-effect mobility with similar threshold
voltages compared to their previously studied SiPc analogues. Among
these SnPcs, bis(triisobutylsilyl oxide) SnPc displayed the greatest
electron field-effect mobility of 0.014 cm2 V–1 s–1, with a threshold voltage of 31.4 V when incorporated
into OTFTs. This difference in electrical performance between OTFT
and OPV devices was attributed to the low photostability of SnPcs.