A series of thiophene-fused acenes, anthra[2,3-
b]thiophene (
1), tetraceno[2,3-
b]thiophene (
2), and 2-
n-decyl-tetraceno[2,3-
b]thiophene (
3), were synthesized. The crystal structures of
1 and
2 were determined.A weak dipole results from the addition of the thiophene ring, and the crystal packing
changes from thetriclinic structure of acenes to orthorhombic, with the molecules maintaining the herringbone arrangementwith the molecular long axis antiparallel to the neighbors. Theoretical calculation showed that the moleculeshave higher oxidation potential and comparable hole mobility as acene analogues with the same numberof rings. Thin film transistor devices were fabricated from these materials. With compound
1, a field-effect mobility of 0.134 cm
2/V s and on/off ratio of 10
8 can be achieved when deposited at a substratetemperature of 25
C, whereas a mobility of 0.245 cm
2/V s and on/off ratio of 10
6 were observed forcompound
2 deposited at 80
C.