Tricyclic-Fused Bithiophenes And Related Analogues: Important Building Blocks For Conjugated Materials

Fused-ring heterocyclic species, particularly those based on thiophene backbones, have become successful monomers for the generation of conjugated polymers and other materials. Among these, the insertion of a p-block element between the adjacent rings of 2,2'-bithiophene, thus generating tricyclic-fused bithiophenes, has been an especially popular approach to develop various building blocks that have found widespread use in conjugated materials. Due to the importance of these fused-ring species as monomeric units and the fact that this family of building blocks has seen significant advancements in the last decade, the current chapter will review the synthesis and characterization of the known fused tricyclic bithiophenes and analogous bisthiazoles, with a particular emphasis on the known electronic and optical properties of these fused-ring systems.