Materials having electron deficient moieties and methods of synthesizing thereof

1. A method comprising reacting a dicyanobenzodiimine with a first aryl group, in a first C—H activated coupling, wherein the dicyanobenzodiimine comprises the structure:

wherein Y 1 is selected from the group consisting of O, S, Se, NR 1 , and C(R 1 )═C(R 1 ); R 1 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, a C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 30 heteroalkyl group, a C 5 -C 10 heteroaryl group; and

wherein a covalent bond is formed between the first aryl group and the dicyanobenzodiimine such that H a is substituted by the first aryl group;

wherein the first aryl group has at least one labile bond and is selected from the following structures:

wherein “- - -” denotes the bond which is formed between the first aryl group and the dicyanobenzodiimine; Y 2 independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of O, S, Se, Ge, C(R 1 ) 2 , Si(R 1 ) 2 , Ge(R 1 ) 2 , and NR 1 ; R 1 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of H, halogen, a C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 30 heteroalkyl group, a C 5 -C 10 aryl group, and a C 5 -C 10 heteroaryl group; R 2 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, an alkyl group, a heteroalkyl group, a C 5 -C 10 aryl group, and a C 5 -C 10 heteroaryl group; and o has an integer value from 1-4; and

wherein the reaction occurs in an organic solvent comprising a catalyst, a ligand, and a base.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first aryl group is:

wherein Y 2 is sulfur; R 2 compromises a heterocyclic ring, and R 3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, a C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 30 heteroalkyl group, a C 5 -C 10 aryl group, and a C 5 -C 10 heteroaryl group; and o has an integer value from 1-3.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first aryl group has one of the following structures:

wherein R 1 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, a C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 30 heteroalkyl group, a C 5 -C 10 aryl group, and a C 5 -C 10 heteroaryl group; R 3 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, a C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 30 heteroalkyl group, a C 5 -C 10 aryl group, and a C 5 -C 10 heteroaryl group; and o has an integer value from 1-3.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first aryl group is an electron donor and the electron donor is selected from the group consisting of:

wherein “- - -” denotes the bond formed between the first aryl group and the dicyanobenzodiimine; Y 2 is independently at each occurrence from the group consisting of O, S, Se, Ge, C(R 1 ) 2 , Si(R 1 ) 2 , Ge(R 1 ) 2 , and NR 1 ; R 1 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, a C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 30 heteroalkyl group, a C 5 -C 10 aryl group, and a C 5 -C 10 heteroaryl group; R 2 independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, a C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 30 heteroalkyl group, a C 5 -C 10 aryl group, or a C 5 -C 10 heteroaryl group; and o has an integer value from 1-4.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first aryl group is an electron acceptor and the electron acceptor is selected from the group consisting of:

wherein “- - -” denotes the bond formed between the first aryl group and the dicyanobenzodiimine; R 1 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, a C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 30 heteroalkyl group, a C 5 -C 10 aryl group, and a C 5 -C 10 heteroaryl group; R 2 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, a C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 30 heteroalkyl group, a C 5 -C 10 aryl group, and a C 5 -C 10 heteroaryl group; and o has an integer value from 1-4.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising reacting the dicyanobenzodiimine with a second aryl group in a second C—H activated coupling, whereby a covalent bond is formed between the second aryl group and the dicyanobenzodiimine such that H b is substituted with the second aryl group;

wherein the second aryl group has at least one labile bond and is selected from the following structures:

wherein “- - -” denotes the bond formed between the second aryl group and the dicyanobenzodiimine; Y 2 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of O, S, Se, Ge, C(R 1 ) 2 , Si(R 1 ) 2 , Ge(R 1 ) 2 , and NR 1 ; R 1 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, a C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 30 heteroalkyl group, a C 5 -C 10 aryl group, and a C 5 -C 10 heteroaryl group; R 2 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, a C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 30 heteroalkyl group, a C 5 -C 10 aryl group, and a C 5 -C 10 heteroaryl group; and o has an integer value from 1-4.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first aryl group and the second aryl group are identical.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first aryl group and the second aryl group are different.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first aryl group and the second aryl group are independently electron donor groups, wherein the electron donor groups are independently selected from the group consisting of:

wherein “- - -” denotes the bond formed between the first aryl group and the dicyanobenzodiimine; Y 2 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of O, S, Se, Ge, C(R 1 ) 2 , Si(R 1 ) 2 , Ge(R 1 ) 2 , and NR 1 ; R 1 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, a C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 30 heteroalkyl group, a C 5 -C 10 aryl group, and a C 5 -C 10 heteroaryl group; R 2 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, a C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 30 heteroalkyl group, a C 5 -C 10 aryl group, and a C 5 -C 10 heteroaryl group; and o has an integer value from 1-4.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first aryl group and the second aryl group are independently electron acceptor groups, wherein the electron acceptors are selected from the group consisting of:

wherein “- - -” denotes the bond formed between the first aryl group and the dicyanobenzodiimine; Y 2 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of O, S, Se, Ge, C(R 1 ) 2 , Si(R 1 ) 2 , Ge(R 1 ) 2 , and NR 1 ; R 1 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, a C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 30 heteroalkyl group, a C 5 -C 10 aryl group, and a C 5 -C 10 heteroaryl group; R 2 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, a C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 30 heteroalkyl group, a C 5 -C 10 aryl group, and a C 5 -C 10 heteroaryl group; and o has an integer value from 1-4.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first aryl group is an electron acceptor and the second aryl group is an electron donor or the first aryl group is an electron donor group and the second aryl group is an electron acceptor group;

wherein the electron acceptor is selected from the group consisting of:

wherein “- - -” denotes the bond formed between the first aryl group and the dicyanobenzodiimine; Y 2 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of O, S, Se, Ge, C(R 1 ) 2 , Si(R 1 ) 2 , Ge(R 1 ) 2 , and NR 1 ; R 1 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, a C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 30 heteroalkyl group, a C 5 -C 10 aryl group, and a C 5 -C 10 heteroaryl group; R 2 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, a C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 30 heteroalkyl group, a C 5 -C 10 aryl group, and a C 5 -C 10 heteroaryl group; and o has an integer value from 1-4; and

wherein the electron donor group is selected from the group consisting of:

wherein “- - -” denotes the bond formed between the first aryl group and the dicyanobenzodiimine; Y 2 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of O, S, Se, Ge, C(R 1 ) 2 , Si(R 1 ) 2 , Ge(R 1 ) 2 , and NR 1 ; R 1 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, a C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 30 heteroalkyl group, a C 5 -C 10 aryl group, and a C 5 -C 10 heteroaryl group; R 2 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, a C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 30 heteroalkyl group, a C 5 -C 10 aryl group, and a C 5 -C 10 heteroaryl group; and o has an integer value from 1-4.

12. A method comprising reacting a dicyanobenzodiimine with a first aryl group in a first C-H activated coupling, wherein the dicyanobenzodiimine comprises the structure:

wherein Y 1 is selected from the group consisting of O, S, Se, NR 1 , and C(R 1 )═C(R 1 ); R 1 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, an alkyl group, a heteroalkyl group, an aryl group, and a heteroaryl group; and

wherein a covalent bond is formed between the first aryl group and the dicyanobenzodiimine such that H a is substituted by the first aryl group; and

further reacting the dicyanobenzodiimine with a second aryl group in a second C—H activated coupling, whereby a covalent bond is formed between the second aryl group and the dicyanobenzodiimine such that H b is substituted with the second aryl group;

wherein the first and second aryl groups each have at least one labile bond and are selected from the following structures:

wherein “- - -” denotes the bond which is formed between the first aryl group and the dicyanobenzodiimine; Y 2 independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of O, S, Se, Ge, C(R 1 ) 2 , Si(R 1 ) 2 , Ge(R 1 ) 2 , and NR 1 ; R 1 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, a C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 30 heteroalkyl group, a C 5 -C 10 aryl group, and a C 5 -C 10 heteroaryl group; R 2 is independently selected at each occurrence from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, a C 1 -C 30 alkyl group, a C 1 -C 30 heteroalkyl group, a C 5 -C 10 aryl group, and a C 5 -C 10 heteroaryl group; and o has an integer value from 1-4; and

wherein the reaction occurs in an organic solvent comprising a catalyst, a ligand, and a base.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first aryl group and the second aryl group are identical.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first aryl group and the second aryl group are different.