Acene-type donors bearing one 1,3-dithiole ring

A series of acene-type donors bearing only one 1,3-dithiole ring have been synthesized by following a Wittig-Horner reaction from 7H-benz[d,e]anthracen-7-one and several phosphonate esters. The excellent donor properties have been studied using both experimental techniques and quantum-chemical calculations and reveal that the extraction of the first electron in the oxidation process occurs from the dithiole ring (0.42 e) and the acene unit (0.58 e).