Electronic structures and optical properties of two anthracene derivatives

The electronic structures and the optical properties of two anthracene derivatives, DBMA and DAA, are investigated by both experimental techniques and quantum chemical calculations. The cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse polarograph measurement revealed that the introduction of benzol-imidazol and pyrrolo-pyridine group on the anthracene block can affect the electrochemical behavior of DBMA and DAA. Both UV/visible absorption and emission spectra of DBMA and DAA are red-shifted in contrast to the unsubstituted anthracene, so that the anthracene derivatives emit at blue-green region and the luminescence yields are remarkably elevated (over 90%). The B3LYP/6-31G theoretical calculations explored that the electronic structures of the anthracene derivatives are perturbed by the side substitutes on the anthracene block, and the slight variation of the electronic structures results in the enhanced electron accepting ability and the decrease of the HOMO-LUMO energy gap, which is the origin of the emission to be shifted to blue-green region. The non-planar geometry structures of DBMA and DAA are responsible for the excellent luminescence yields.