A series of partially fused N‐doped nanographenes (2–4) are synthesized via the oxidative cyclodehydrogenation of oligoaryl‐substituted dibenzo[e,l]pyrene (1), and five, six, and seven new C−C bonds are formed, respectively, implying stepwise C−C bond fusion and extended π‐conjugation. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis of compound 4 a revealed that the presence of sterically demanding groups hindered the formation of planar and fully fused nanographene in the oxidative cyclodehydrogenation reaction step. Optical study of compounds 2 to 4 showed that extended π‐conjugation leads to a regular stepwise bathochromic shift in the absorption and emission spectra. Furthermore, the HOMO–LUMO gaps of these compounds exhibit a decrease as C−C bond formation proceeds. Thus, the optoelectronic properties of nanographenes are highly dependent on the formation of new C−C bonds in the molecular skeleton.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.