Synthesis, Electronic Properties, and X-ray Structural Characterization of Tetrarylbenzo[1,2-<i>b</i>:4,5-<i>b</i>′]difuran Cation Radicals

Electroactive tetraarylbenzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]difuran (BDF) and model diarylbenzofuran derivatives are synthesized and their structures are established by X-ray crystallography. Isolation and X-ray crystallographic characterization of the robust cation-radical salts of BDF derivatives confirm that a single charge in the BDFs is stabilized largely by the benzodifuran and coplanar α-aryl groups lying on the longitudinal axis. These findings suggest that the linear arrays of BDFs may allow the construction of molecular wires suitable for long-range electron transport.