Influence of BN-orientation pattern at spoke location of corannulene on electro-optical properties and aromaticity

Abstract One to five BN units have been embedded in corannulene at spoke location with two different orientation patterns. The effect of the number and orientation of BN units have been investigated employing the density functional theory (DFT). The BN-embedded corannulene structures show the significant changes in geometric structure, aromaticity and the first static hyperpolarizability (β0). The key role of BN orientation in bowl-shaped π-conjugated polyaromatic hydrocarbons with many BN units have been investigated for the first time. The aromaticity concept was evaluated employing NICS parameter. The bowl depth, dipole moment (μ) and β0 values have been obtained 0.0 A, 0.0 Debye, 1.9 au for 5BN structure and 1.612 A, 4.4 Debye, 963.6 au for 5NB structure. The HOMO-LUMO gap (HLG) value was reduced 11% for 5NB structure and increased 2% for 5BN structure. The average NICS(0) values increase in BN-orientation and decrease in NB-orientation structures. This work represents a new class of organic materials with appealing properties, which can indicate the importance of precise control of the BN substitution patterns in bowl-shaped π-conjugated polyaromatic hydrocarbons.