1. Development of Polymer Systems with High Electron Mobility for Photovoltaic Applications Jie Hu, Dong Zhang, Shi Jin, Stephen Z.D. Cheng and Frank W. Harris The Maurice Morton Institute of Polymer Science The University of Akron Akron, OH 44325-3909

2. To develop materials with high electron mobility for photovoltaic applications Objective

3. Utilization of nitrogen-containing heterocyclic structures Poly(pyridinium salts) Poly(quinoxalines) Approach

4. Specific objective of this work is to develop discotic/planar liquid crystalline compounds that display high electron mobilities. Discotic liquid crystalline compounds have been prepared that exhibit high hole mobilities. Adam, D.; Schumacher, P.; Simmerer, J.; Haussling, L.; Siemersmeyer, K.; Etzbach, K.H.; Ringsdorf, H.; Haarer, D. Nature 1994, 371, 141. Discotic Liquid Cyrstalline Compounds

5. Preparation of Target Compounds

6. Synthesis of 4,5,9,10- Tetraone Pyrene

7. Synthesis of 4,5-Diamino- 1,2-bisalkoxy Benzenes

8. The transition temperatures (°C) were determined by DSC at 10 °C/min, the phase types were suggested by PLM and WAXD. CompoundRPhase transition 3an-C 10 H 21 K  LC  I 3bn-C 11 H 23 K  LC  I 3cn-C 14 H 29 K  I 3d2-methylhexyl K  I 3e3,7-dimethyloctyl K  I 213 268 210 234 202 > 350 316 Phase Transition Compounds of 3a-e

9. 100  m The picture was taken at 261 o C cooling from the isotropic phase PLM Micrograph of 3a

12. Current Work Structural modifications to lower transition temperatures and increase electron affinity.