Tunable Optical Properties of Chromophores Derived from Oligo(p-phenylene vinylene)

A series of 11 symmetric push−pull chromophores consisting of electron-accepting groups connected through a central π-conjugated system derived from oligo(p-phenylene vinylene) (OPV) were designed and synthesized. Electronic and spectroscopic properties were investigated by UV−visible absorption, fluorescence spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. By finely tuning the electron-withdrawing ability of the acceptors as well as the length of the π-conjugated spacer, a wide range of dyes exhibiting strong absorption and emission were obtained.