pi-Topology and ultrafast excited-state dynamics of remarkably photochemically stabilized pentacene derivatives with radical substituents

Pentacene derivatives with both pi-radical- and TIPS-substituents (1m and 1p) were synthesized and their photochemical properties and excited-state dynamics were evaluated. The pentacene-radical-linked systems 1m (1p) showed a remarkable improvement in photochemical stability, which was 187 (139) times higher than that of 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene. Transient absorption spectroscopy showed that this remarkable photostabilization is due to the ultrafast intersystem crossing induced by effective pi-conjugation between the radical substituent and pentacene moiety. The relationship between pi-topology and the photochemical stability is also discussed based on the excited-state dynamics.