Oxidative coupling of 1,7,8-unsubstituted BODIPYs: synthesis and electrochemical and spectroscopic properties

We report the synthesis of BODIPYs with unsubstituted 1,7,8-positions and their dimerization by oxidative coupling with phenyliodine(III)-bis(trifluoroacetate) (PIFA). This dimerization was achieved for BODIPYs substituted in the 3,5-positions with either methyl or thienyl groups. The position and the type of the linkage in the resulting dimers depended on the nature of the substituent. The 3,5-dimethyl-BODIPY dyes were linked either via direct 1,1'-pyrrole-pyrrole coupling or via a 1,3'-methylene bridge. The 3,5-dithienyl-BODIPY dyes provided, in excellent yields, unique compounds linked exclusively via the α-thienyl positions. All dyes were unreactive in the 8-position. Electrochemical and spectroscopic measurements on the monomers and dimers provided evidence of interactions between the two halves of the dimers. Thus, oxidation and reduction potentials were split by up to 210 mV, and modest excitonic coupling and an internal charge transfer were observed in some cases.