Molecular Engineering of Helical Nanoribbons

Helical architectures have inspired artists, designers, engineers and scientists for centuries, because in helices, chirality is articulated in a highly symmetric fashion that appeals naturally to the eye. Carbohelicenes belong to a class of intriguing, chiral, and helicoidal molecules (ortho-fused benzene rings), which have a rich history in chemistry since the beginning of the 20th century. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, in particular, are ever-sought targets to induce helical chirality. Helical twisting of a pi-conjugated back-bone can often quite dramatically alter the electronic properties, or even lead to new unexpected properties. Specifically, helical nanoribbons will pave new directions to long awaited entry in to the helicene's chemistry. This research aims to explore the bottom-up synthesis precise and enantiomerically pure helical molecules which are highly sought molecules since the first synthesis of [6]helicene in 1955.

The proposed concept of bottom-up synthesis and chemical modification of helical back-bone is novel and it provides many more directions for setting-up the basis for future innovative applications. The proposed research and synthetic engineering of "helical molecules" will lead to new class of topological materials which can be used as next generation semiconductor materials. These functionalized helical polymers with charge/spin injecting groups will open the door to further tune their opto-electronic properties, charge/spin transport with enormous scope to be used in electronic and spintronic applications.