Heptacene is an

organic compound Some chemical authorities define an organic compound as a chemical compound that contains a carbon–hydrogen or carbon–carbon bond; others consider an organic compound to be any chemical compound that contains carbon. For example, carbon-co ...

and a

polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon A Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) is any member of a class of organic compounds that is composed of multiple fused aromatic rings. Most are produced by the incomplete combustion of organic matter— by engine exhaust fumes, tobacco, incine ...

and the seventh member of the

acene In organic chemistry, the acenes or polyacenes are a class of organic compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons made up of benzene () rings which have been linearly fused. They follow the general molecular formula . The larger represent ...

or polyacene family of linear fused benzene rings. This compound has long been pursued by chemists because of its potential interest in electronic applications and was first synthesized but not cleanly isolated in 2006. Heptacene was finally fully characterized in bulk by researchers in Germany and the United States in 2017. : The final step is a

photochemical Photochemistry is the branch of chemistry concerned with the chemical effects of light. Generally, this term is used to describe a chemical reaction caused by absorption of ultraviolet (wavelength from 100 to 400 nm), visible (400–750&nb ...

decarbonylization with a 1,2-dione bridge extruded as

carbon monoxide Carbon monoxide (chemical formula CO) is a poisonous, flammable gas that is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and slightly less dense than air. Carbon monoxide consists of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom connected by a triple bond. It is the si ...

. In solution heptacene is not formed because it is very unstable being a reactive DA diene and quickly reacts with oxygen or forms dimers. When on the other hand the dione precursor is dissolved in a PMMA matrix first, heptacene can be studied by spectroscopy. Heptacene has been studied spectroscopically at cryogenic temperatures in a

matrix Matrix (: matrices or matrixes) or MATRIX may refer to: Science and mathematics * Matrix (mathematics), a rectangular array of numbers, symbols or expressions * Matrix (logic), part of a formula in prenex normal form * Matrix (biology), the m ...

. When dissolved in

sulfuric acid Sulfuric acid (American spelling and the preferred IUPAC name) or sulphuric acid (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth spelling), known in antiquity as oil of vitriol, is a mineral acid composed of the elements sulfur, oxygen, ...

the heptacene dication is reported to be stable at room-temperature for more than a year in absence of oxygen. " solatedsolid heptacene has a half-life time of several weeks at room temperature."

Derivatives

: : 7,16-Bis(tris(trimethylsilyl)silylethynyl)heptacene was synthesized in 2005. This compound is stable in the solid state for a week but decomposes in contact with air. Its synthesis started from

anthraquinone Anthraquinone, also called anthracenedione or dioxoanthracene, is an aromatic hydrocarbon, aromatic organic compound with formula . Several isomers exist but these terms usually refer to 9,10-anthraquinone (IUPAC: 9,10-dioxoanthracene) wherein th ...

and naphthalene-2,3-dicarboxaldehyde. More stable substituted heptacenes have been reported: with stabilizing ''p''-(''t''-butyl)thiophenyl substituents (Figure 1) and with phenyl and triisopropylsilylethynyl groups (Figure 2).

References

{{PAHs Acenes Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons Substances discovered in the 2000s