A Stable, NH-Containing Chiral Nanographene: An Electroactive N-Doped π-System for Chiroptics and Spin-Selective Transport

The integration of nitrogen atoms into chiral nanographenes (c-NGs) offers a powerful strategy for designing chiral materials with programmable electronic and chiroptical responses. However, the preparation of stable N-doped c-NGs featuring free NH groups─an essential chemical handle─remains a major synthetic challenge. Herein, we report a highly stable N-doped c-NG (<b>NHNG</b>) featuring a free NH moiety, which enables comprehensive investigation of not only its structural but also its optical, redox, electronic, and spintronic properties. X-ray crystallography reveals an intriguing π-scaffold combining three coexisting topologies: two helical and one saddle-shaped. By virtue of its extended conjugation, <b>NHNG</b> displays strong visible-light absorption (ε = 170,000 M<sup>-1</sup> cm<sup>-1</sup>) and a rich electrochemical profile, with four oxidations leading to persistent cationic species that exhibit sharp near-infrared absorptions. In parallel, time-resolved microwave conductivity measurements demonstrate notable photoconductivity (ϕΣμ<sub>max</sub> = 3.0 × 10<sup>-5</sup> cm<sup>2</sup> V<sup>-1</sup> s<sup>-1</sup>). Owing to their robustness, the corresponding <i>M</i>- and <i>P</i>-enantiomers were resolved and found to exhibit pronounced chiroptical properties, with |<i>g</i><sub>abs</sub>| = 4.2 × 10<sup>-3</sup> and |<i>g</i><sub>lum</sub>| = 2.2 × 10<sup>-3</sup>. Remarkably, both enantiomers also display spin-selective charge transport <i>via</i> the chiral-induced spin selectivity effect, reaching spin-polarization values of ∼80%─among the highest reported for single-molecule-based π-conjugated spin filters. Altogether, these findings render <b>NHNG</b> a multifunctional chiral platform for next-generation optoelectronic, spintronic, and chiroptical applications.

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Publication Details

Journal
Journal of the American Chemical Society
Published
2026-02-26
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.5c20735
Primary Topic
Synthesis and Properties of Aromatic Compounds
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article
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article

A Stable, NH-Containing Chiral Nanographene: An Electroactive N-Doped π-System for Chiroptics and Spin-Selective Transport

Jorge Labella, Shu Seki, Yusuke Tsutsui, W. Ryan Osterloh et al.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
Synthesis and Properties of Aromatic Compounds
article

A Stable, NH-Containing Chiral Nanographene: An Electroactive N-Doped π-System for Chiroptics and Spin-Selective Transport

Jorge Labella, Shu Seki, Yusuke Tsutsui, W. Ryan Osterloh, Kean Kuo, Takayuki Tanaka
article en

Abstract

The integration of nitrogen atoms into chiral nanographenes (c-NGs) offers a powerful strategy for designing chiral materials with programmable electronic and chiroptical responses. However, the preparation of stable N-doped c-NGs featuring free NH groups─an essential chemical handle─remains a major synthetic challenge. Herein, we report a highly stable N-doped c-NG (<b>NHNG</b>) featuring a free NH moiety, which enables comprehensive investigation of not only its structural but also its optical, redox, electronic, and spintronic properties. X-ray crystallography reveals an intriguing π-scaffold combining three coexisting topologies: two helical and one saddle-shaped. By virtue of its extended conjugation, <b>NHNG</b> displays strong visible-light absorption (ε = 170,000 M<sup>-1</sup> cm<sup>-1</sup>) and a rich electrochemical profile, with four oxidations leading to persistent cationic species that exhibit sharp near-infrared absorptions. In parallel, time-resolved microwave conductivity measurements demonstrate notable photoconductivity (ϕΣμ<sub>max</sub> = 3.0 × 10<sup>-5</sup> cm<sup>2</sup> V<sup>-1</sup> s<sup>-1</sup>). Owing to their robustness, the corresponding <i>M</i>- and <i>P</i>-enantiomers were resolved and found to exhibit pronounced chiroptical properties, with |<i>g</i><sub>abs</sub>| = 4.2 × 10<sup>-3</sup> and |<i>g</i><sub>lum</sub>| = 2.2 × 10<sup>-3</sup>. Remarkably, both enantiomers also display spin-selective charge transport <i>via</i> the chiral-induced spin selectivity effect, reaching spin-polarization values of ∼80%─among the highest reported for single-molecule-based π-conjugated spin filters. Altogether, these findings render <b>NHNG</b> a multifunctional chiral platform for next-generation optoelectronic, spintronic, and chiroptical applications.

Journal of the American Chemical SocietyVol. 148(9)
Kyoto University (JP)
Openalex Percentile: Top 41%
Synthesis and Properties of Aromatic Compounds
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