Synthesis and properties of silicon-bridged bithiophenes and application to EL devices

Dithienosiloles (DTSs) were prepared and their optical and electrochemical properties were examined in view of electron-accepting ability of them, in comparison with the results of theoretical calculations. They were found to have low-laying LUMOs, and an EL device with pyridyl-substituted DTS as the electron-transporter exhibited high efficiency of current-luminance energy conversion.