Red Phosphorescence from Benzo[2,1,3]thiadiazoles at Room Temperature

We describe the red phosphorescence exhibited by a class of structurally simple benzo[2,1,3]thiadiazoles at room temperature. The photophysical properties of these molecules in deoxygenated cyclohexane, including their absorption spectra, steady-state photoluminescence and excitation spectra, and phosphorescence lifetimes, are presented. Time-dependent density functional theory calculations were carried out to better understand the electronic excited states of these benzo[2,1,3]thiadiazoles and why they are capable of phosphorescence.