Pantos G.D. (Ed.) Naphthalenediimide and its Congeners: From Molecules to Materials

Monographs in Supramolecular Chemistry No.21 Royal Society of Chemistry, 2017. - 357 p.
Naphthalenediimide and its congeners are not new molecules, however, over the past 15–20 years, their chemistry has developed rapidly. The first mention of naphthalenediimide was in 1887 by Bamberger and Philip. By comparison, pyromellitimide is younger, being first described in 1914 by Meyer and Steiner, while the youngest member is perylenediimide, which was first reported in a German patent in 1919. The larger family of rylene dyes are ever-expanding and increase in complexity despite synthetic challenges. A number of excellent reviews have been published over the years that give an overview of parts of this field, however, when I planned this volume, there had not been a book exclusively devoted to these recent advances. Each chapter in this book is written by experts in the field andaimed at covering the most recent advances in a coherent manner. The content is as varied as the areas in which the naphthalenediimides and their congeners have found applications. Therefore, we have covered topics from organic photovoltaics, anion-slides, and DNA binders to building blocks for complex molecular topologies. The chemistry is rich and we are yet to discover all its secrets. I hope this book reflects the exciting and dynamic chemistry of naphthalenediimide and its congeners and will be a source of inspiration for future generations of PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. On a personal note, I can say that having worked in this field for over a decade, I find it as fascinating as ever because every single time I consider that a certain NDI project has exhausted its novelty, a new observation or discovery leads us to an even more exciting research area. I must finish with some acknowledgments: I would like to thank the two researchers that introduced me to the chemistry of naphthalenediimides: Prof. Jeremy Sanders who gave me the opportunity to work in this area, and Prof. Brent Iverson who indirectly made me aware of these molecules during my PhD years. I would also like to thank all the students, postdocs and colleagues that have worked with me over the years; they have been an endless source of inspiration and enthusiasm. I would also like to thank the Royal Society of Chemistry books team, led by Rowan Frame, for their endless patience with a project that suffered a number of delays.