Synthesis and Properties of Lactone Embedded Bisanthene

In this work, we introduced lactone six-membered rings at the <i>bay</i> positions of bisanthene through a straightforward synthesis, resulting in novel compound <b>A</b>. Unlike the incorporation of other aromatic rings, such as pyrrole, pyridine, or thiophene, the addition of lactone rings induces significantly different properties, including a narrowed bandgap, red-shifted emission profile, and tight columnar molecular packing for both neutral and ionic radicals. Furthermore, it exhibits intriguing multistage redox properties, with its ionic species being thoroughly investigated. Due to its remarkable photothermal capabilities, this compound holds promise for potential in antitumor research. Overall, this work sheds new light on oxygen-doped polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).