4′-Bromo-2′,3′,5′,6′-tetrafluorostilbazole: Donor and acceptor site for halogen bonding and π-stacking in one rigid-rod-type molecule

The title compound, a new fluorinated stilbazole-based chromophore combines hydrocarbon (HC) donor and perfluorocarbon (PFC) acceptor sites in one rigid-rod-type conjugated molecule. The bifunctional stilbazole derivative combines several possibilities of weak, medium, and strong intermolecular interactions leading to an attractive crystal packing. The chromophore shows strong pi-pi stacking behavior in solution, while its crystal structure consists of an infinite unimolecular network involving both interchain pi-pi stacking and (NBr)-Br-... halogen bonding. The latter Lewis acid-base interactions do not play a dominant role in controlling the solution optical properties. In the solid state, the molecules are aligned in one-dimensional infinite head-to-tail chains as a result of attractive halogen bonding. Adjacent chains are oriented in opposite directions.