Pyrene-fused Acenes and Azaacenes: Synthesis and Applications.

In this account, the synthesis and applications of pyrene-fused acenes, as well as pyrene-fused azaacenes, have been carefully reviewed. Moreover, the synthetic methods involving two key synthons (different lengths of dienes and ynes) have been included. Furthermore, the "clean reaction" strategy has been introduced for the preparation of pyrene-fused acenes with a single terminal-pyrene unit from tetracene to octacene, as well as for the synthesis of pyrene-fused octatwistacenes and nonatwistacenes with double terminal-pyrene units. Similarly, the synthons and the synthetic methods for pyrene-fused azaacenes have also been summarized. The applications of pyrene-fused acenes and pyrene-fused azaacenes have been included.