Research Projects

Nanographenes, which have potential in electronics and photonics, have been gaining importance due to their nonplanar structure with 5- and 7-membered rings. Hetero-nanographenes, which incorporate heteroatoms, have been found to have functional expansion, tuning of aromaticity and redox capability, and alteration of ?-conjugation, resulting in interesting optical, electronic, magnetic, and catalytic properties. Recently, a few conjoined 5-7-membered rings (azulene type) were fused into the nanographene skeleton. This proposal aims to develop molecular precursor design and synthesis methods to introduce 5-7/7-5-7 membered conjoined rings (azulene/cyclopentaheptalene) sharing a nitrogen atom into nanographene saddles, ribbons, and belts in a programmable manner. The project aims to expand the nitrogen-doped nanographene chemistry and address key challenges in using carbazole-based polyarene structures for Scholl oxidative coupling. These novel skeletons due to N-doping are expected to display interesting optical and electrochemical properties.