New oligomeric hyper-branched esters incorporating tetrathiafulvalene: synthesis, electrochemistry and charge-transfer complexes

The synthesis of new hyper-branched esters substituted with peripheral tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) groups is described. The use of a 4,4′-diphenylether core provides compounds 12–14 which are shelf-stable and possess good solubility in organic solvents. The oligomeric TTF systems display reversible redox behaviour and semiconducting charge-transfer complexes are formed with tetracyano-p-quinodimethane (TCNQ).