Heterocyclic fused selenophene monomers

1. A heterocyclic monomer compound according to the following formula:

wherein X is Se, Y is S, R is a substituent group selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, alkyl, arylalkyl, alkenyl, perfluoroalkyl, perfluororaryl, aryl, alkoxy, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, alkanoyl, alkylthio, aryloxy, alkylthioalkyl, alkynyl, alkylaryl, arylalkyl, amido, alkylsulfinyl, alkoxyalkyl, alkylsulfonyl, aryl, arylamino, diarylamino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, arylarylamino, arylthio, heteroaryl, arylsulfinyl, alkoxycarbonyl, arylsulfonyl, halogen, nitro, cyano, sulfonic acid, alkyl substituted with one or more sulfonic acid, esters of sulfonic acid, phosphoric acid, esters of phosphoric acid, carboxylic acid, esters of carboxylic acid, halo, amino, nitro, hydroxyl, cyano and epoxy moieties, and phenyl substituted with one or more sulfonic acid, esters of sulfonic acid, phosphoric acid, esters of phosphoric acid, carboxylic acid, esters of carboxylic acid, halo, amino, nitro, hydroxyl, cyano and epoxy moieties, in which one or more non-adjacent CH 2 groups in alkyl is optionally replaced, independently, with —O—, —S—, —NH—, —NR′—, —CO—, —COO—, —OCO—, —OCO—O—, —S—CO—, —CO—S—, —CH═CH— or —C≡C— in such a manner that O and/or S atoms are not linked directly to one another, each of R′ and R″, independently, being H, aryl, or alkyl with 1 to 12 C-atoms.

2. The compound of claim 1 , wherein R is selected from the group consisting of alkylaryl, arylalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, C 1 to C 12 primary, secondary or tertiary alkyl groups, optionally mono- or polysubstituted by F, Cl, Br, I or CN, phenyl, substituted phenyl groups, cyclohexyl, naphthalenyl, hydroxyl, alkyl ether, perfluoroaryl, and sulfonic acid, esters of sulfonic acid, SF 5 , and F.

3. The compound of claim 1 , wherein R is selected from the group consisting of phenyl, C 1 to C 12 primary, secondary or tertiary alkyl groups and perfluoroalkyl groups.

4. The compound of claim 1 , wherein the compound is selected from the group consisting of 2-phenyl-selenolo[2,3-c]thiophene and 2-hexyl-selenolo[2,3-c]thiophene.

5. A heterocyclic monomer compound according to the following formula:

wherein X is Se, Y is S , W′ and W is bromine, and

R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, arylalkyl, alkenyl, perfluoroalkyl, perfluororaryl, aryl, alkoxy, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, alkanoyl, alklthio, aryloxy, alkylthioalkyl, alkynyl, alkylaryl, arylalkyl, amido, alkylsulfinyl, alkoxyalkyl, alkylsulfonyl, aryl, arylamino, diarylamino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, arylarylamino, arylthio, heteroaryl, arylsulfinyl, alkoxycarbonyl, arylsulfonyl, carboxyl, halogen, nitro, cyano, sulfonic acid, alkyl substituted with one or more sulfonic acid, esters of sulfonic acid, phosphoric acid, esters of phosphoric acid, carboxylic acid, esters of carboxylic acid, halo, amino, nitro, hydroxyl, cyano and epoxy moieties, and phenyl substituted with one or more sulfonic acid, esters of sulfonic acid, phosphoric acid, esters of phosphoric acid, carboxylic acid, esters of carboxylic acid, halo, amino, nitro, hydroxyl, cyano and epoxy moieties, in which one or more non-adjacent CH 2 groups in alkyl is optionally replaced, independently, with —O—, —S—, —NH—, —NR′—, —SiR′R″—, —CO—, —COO—, —OCO—, —OCO—O—, —S—CO—, —CO—S—, —CH═CH— or —C≡C— in such a manner that O and/or S atoms are not linked directly to one another, each of R′ and R″, independently, being H, aryl, or alkyl with 1 to 12 C-atoms.

6. The compound of claim 5 , wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkylaryl, arylalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, C 1 to C 12 primary, secondary or tertiary alkyl groups optionally mono- or polysubstituted by F, Cl, Br, I or CN, phenyl, substituted phenyl groups, cyclohexyl, naphthalenyl, hydroxyl, alkyl ether, perfluoroaryl, sulfonic acid, esters of sulfonic acid, SF 5 , and F.

7. The compound of claim 6 , wherein R is selected from the group consisting of phenyl, C 1 to C 12 primary, secondary or tertiary alkyl groups and perfluoroalkyl groups.

8. A method for preparing a compound of formula (1):

wherein X is Se, Y is S, R is a substituent group selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, alkyl, arylalkyl, alkenyl, perfluoroalkyl, perfluororaryl, aryl, alkoxy, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, alkanoyl, alkylthio, aryloxy, alkylthioalkyl, alkynyl, alkylaryl, arylalkyl, amido, alkylsulfinyl, alkoxyalkyl, alkylsulfonyl, aryl, arylamino, diarylamino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, arylarylamino, arylthio, heteroaryl, arylsulfinyl, alkoxycarbonyl, arylsulfonyl, halogen, nitro, cyano, sulfonic acid, alkyl substituted with one or more sulfonic acid, esters of sulfonic acid, phosphoric acid, esters of phosphoric acid, carboxylic acid, esters of carboxylic acid, halo, amino, nitro, hydroxyl, cyano and epoxy moieties, and phenyl substituted with one or more sulfonic acid, esters of sulfonic acid, phosphoric acid, esters of phosphoric acid, carboxylic acid, esters of carboxylic acid, halo, amino, nitro, hydroxyl, cyano and epoxy moieties, in which one or more non-adjacent CH 2 groups in alkyl is optionally replaced, independently, with —O—, —S—, —NH—, —NR′—, —CO—, —COO—, —OCO—, —OCO—O—,—S—CO—,—CO—S—,—CH═CH— or —C≡C— in such a manner that O and/or S atoms are not linked directly to one another, each of R′ and R″, independently, being H, aryl, or alkyl with 1 to 12 C-atoms,

the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first reactant having the formula (2):

wherein Ha is bromine;

reducing the first reactant in the presence of a metal reducing agent to form a second reactant having the formula (3):

reacting the second reactant with a substituted 1-alkyne in the presence of a transition metal catalyst to form a third reactant, the third reactant having the formula (4):

reacting the third reactant with an alkyl lithium in the presence of a compound comprising X, X being defined above, to produce a fourth reactant having the formula (5):

and

reacting the fourth reactant with water to form the compound having formula (1).

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, alkyl, arylalkyl, alkenyl, perfluoroalkyl, perfluororaryl, aryl, alkoxy, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, alkanoyl, alkylthio, aryloxy, alkylthioalkyl, alkynyl, alkylaryl, arylalkyl, amido, alkylsulfinyl, alkoxyalkyl, alkylsulfonyl, aryl, arylamino, diarylamino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, arylarylamino, arylthio, heteroaryl, arylsulfinyl, alkoxycarbonyl, arylsulfonyl, halogen, nitro, cyano, sulfonic acid, alkyl substituted with one or more sulfonic acid, sulfonic acid ester, phosphoric acid, phosphoric acid ester, carboxylic acid, carboxylic acid ester, halo, amino, nitro, hydroxyl, cyano, and epoxy moieties, and phenyl substituted with one or more sulfonic acid, sulfonic acid ester, phosphoric acid, phosphoric acid ester, carboxylic acid, carboxylic acid ester, halo, amino, nitro, hydroxyl, cyano, and epoxy moieties.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein R is selected from the group consisting of alkylaryl, arylalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, C 1 to C 12 primary, secondary or tertiary alkyl groups mono- or polysubstituted by F, Cl, Br, I or CN, phenyl, substituted phenyl groups, cyclohexyl, naphthalenyl, hydroxyl, alkyl ether, perfluoroaryl, sulfonic acid, esters of sulfonic acid, SF 5 , and F.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein R is selected from the group consisting of phenyl, C 1 to C 12 primary, secondary or tertiary alkyl groups and perfluoroalkyl groups.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transition metal catalyst comprises palladium.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the transition metal catalyst is palladium dichloride-bis-triphenylphosphine.