Synthesis and self-assembly of 2,9,16-tri(tert-butyl)-23-(10-mercaptodecyloxy)phthalocyanine and the application of its self-assembled monolayers in organic light-emitting diodes.

2,9,16-Tri(tert-butyl)-23-(10-mercaptodecyloxy)phthalocyanine (8) and its disulfide (9) have been synthesized and characterized, and their self-assembling behaviors on gold substrates have been studied. Characteristic Q-bands were observed at about 630 nm in the UV/visible spectra of the self-assembling monolayers (SAMs). They were broadened and blue-shifted relative to those observed in solution. Binding energies for S2p have the same values (161.70 eV) and are in accord with those for gold thiolates. The application of the SAMs in organic light-emitting diode was investigated. It shows that the SAM promotes the hole injection process from the anode.