Recent Advances in Conjugated Furans

Thiophene is one of the most ubiquitous moieties in organic conjugated materials; however, furan, its oxygen congener, and furan derivatives have received comparatively less attention. This is primarily due to the intrinsic instability of furan and its tendency to decompose in the presence of oxygen and light. Incorporating furan into conjugated systems can confer many benefits, including increases in conjugation, improved solubility, and better transport properties. In this Concept Article, advances in furan-containing conjugated materials are presented. The impact of furan on the properties of conjugated materials is discussed, recent advances in synthetic methods are overviewed, and strategies for improving the stability of conjugated furans are detailed.