Novel thiophene-containing push-pull chromophores that include carbazole and triphenylamine moieties: study of optical and electrochemical properties

Novel carbazole- and triphenylamine-containing alkylidene malononitriles that include thiophene and bithienyl fragments as π-spacers were synthesized. Quantum-chemical calculations of the frontier molecular orbital energies were performed using the B3LYP/6-31G(d) method with regard to solvent. Electronic absorption spectra and fluorescence spectra were recorded for all the obtained compounds; their electrochemical properties were also studied. The experimental energy values of HOMO and LUMO levels were derived from resulting data. Thin films were obtained by the spin coating technique, and their surface morphology was studied using a NTEGRA Prima scanning tunneling microscope.