@article{PeseschkianCordtsGuentheretal.2021, author = {Peseschkian, Tara and Cordts, Isabell and G{\"u}nther, Ren{\´e} and Stolte, Benjamin and Zeller, Daniel and Schr{\"o}ter, Carsten and Weyen, Ute and Regensburger, Martin and Wolf, Joachim and Schneider, Ilka and Hermann, Andreas and Metelmann, Moritz and Kohl, Zacharias and Linker, Ralf A. and Koch, Jan Christoph and B{\"u}chner, Boriana and Weiland, Ulrike and Sch{\"o}nfelder, Erik and Heinrich, Felix and Osmanovic, Alma and Klopstock, Thomas and Dorst, Johannes and Ludolph, Albert C. and Boentert, Matthias and Hagenacker, Tim and Deschauer, Marcus and Lingor, Paul and Petri, Susanne and Schreiber-Katz, Olivia}, title = {A nation-wide, multi-center study on the quality of life of ALS patients in Germany}, series = {Brain Sciences}, volume = {11}, journal = {Brain Sciences}, number = {3}, issn = {2076-3425}, doi = {10.3390/brainsci11030372}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-234147}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Improving quality of life (QoL) is central to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) treatment. This Germany-wide, multicenter cross-sectional study analyses the impact of different symptom-specific treatments and ALS variants on QoL. Health-related QoL (HRQoL) in 325 ALS patients was assessed using the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Assessment Questionnaire 5 (ALSAQ-5) and EuroQol Five Dimension Five Level Scale (EQ-5D-5L), together with disease severity (captured by the revised ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-R)) and the current care and therapies used by our cohort. At inclusion, the mean ALSAQ-5 total score was 56.93 (max. 100, best = 0) with a better QoL associated with a less severe disease status (β = -1.96 per increase of one point in the ALSFRS-R score, p < 0.001). "Limb-onset" ALS (lALS) was associated with a better QoL than "bulbar-onset" ALS (bALS) (mean ALSAQ-5 total score 55.46 versus 60.99, p = 0.040). Moreover, with the ALSFRS-R as a covariate, using a mobility aid (β = -7.60, p = 0.001), being tracheostomized (β = -14.80, p = 0.004) and using non-invasive ventilation (β = -5.71, p = 0.030) were associated with an improved QoL, compared to those at the same disease stage who did not use these aids. In contrast, antidepressant intake (β = 5.95, p = 0.007), and increasing age (β = 0.18, p = 0.023) were predictors of worse QoL. Our results showed that the ALSAQ-5 was better-suited for ALS patients than the EQ-5D-5L. Further, the early and symptom-specific clinical management and supply of assistive devices can significantly improve the individual HRQoL of ALS patients. Appropriate QoL questionnaires are needed to monitor the impact of treatment to provide the best possible and individualized care.}, language = {en} } @article{SunAnhaltSarosietal.2022, author = {Sun, Meng-Jia and Anhalt, Olga and S{\´a}rosi, Menyh{\´a}rt B. and Stolte, Matthias and W{\"u}rthner, Frank}, title = {Activating Organic Phosphorescence via Heavy Metal-π Interaction Induced Intersystem Crossing}, series = {Advanced Materials}, volume = {34}, journal = {Advanced Materials}, number = {51}, doi = {10.1002/adma.202207331}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-312248}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Heavy-atom-containing clusters, nanocrystals, and other semiconductors can sensitize the triplet states of their surface-bonded chromophores, but the energy loss, such as nonradiative deactivation, often prevents the synergistic light emission in their solid-state coassemblies. Cocrystallization allows new combinations of molecules with complementary properties for achieving functionalities not available in single components. Here, the cocrystal formation that employs platinum(II) acetylacetonate (Pt(acac)\(_{2}\)) as a triplet sensitizer and electron-deficient 1,4,5,8-naphthalene diimides (NDIs) as organic phosphors is reported. The hybrid cocrystals exhibit room-temperature phosphorescence confined in the low-lying, long-lived triplet state of NDIs with photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield (Φ\(_{PL}\)) exceeding 25\% and a phosphorescence lifetime (τ\(_{Ph}\)) of 156 µs. This remarkable PL property benefits from the noncovalent electronic and spin-orbital coupling between the constituents.}, language = {en} } @article{KimLiessStolteetal.2021, author = {Kim, Jin Hong and Liess, Andreas and Stolte, Matthias and Krause, Ana-Maria and Stepanenko, Vladimir and Zhong, Chuwei and Bialas, David and Spano, Frank and W{\"u}rthner, Frank}, title = {An Efficient Narrowband Near-Infrared at 1040 nm Organic Photodetector Realized by Intermolecular Charge Transfer Mediated Coupling Based on a Squaraine Dye}, series = {Advanced Materials}, volume = {33}, journal = {Advanced Materials}, number = {26}, doi = {10.1002/adma.202100582}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-256374}, year = {2021}, abstract = {A highly sensitive short-wave infrared (SWIR, λ > 1000 nm) organic photodiode (OPD) is described based on a well-organized nanocrystalline bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) active layer composed of a dicyanovinyl-functionalized squaraine dye (SQ-H) donor material in combination with PC\(_{61}\)BM. Through thermal annealing, dipolar SQ-H chromophores self-assemble in a nanoscale structure with intermolecular charge transfer mediated coupling, resulting in a redshifted and narrow absorption band at 1040 nm as well as enhanced charge carrier mobility. The optimized OPD exhibits an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 12.3\% and a full-width at half-maximum of only 85 nm (815 cm\(^{-1}\)) at 1050 nm under 0 V, which is the first efficient SWIR OPD based on J-type aggregates. Photoplethysmography application for heart-rate monitoring is successfully demonstrated on flexible substrates without applying reverse bias, indicating the potential of OPDs based on short-range coupled dye aggregates for low-power operating wearable applications.}, language = {en} } @article{MenekseRennerMahlmeisteretal.2020, author = {Menekse, Kaan and Renner, Rebecca and Mahlmeister, Bernhard and Stolte, Matthias and W{\"u}rthner, Frank}, title = {Bowl-shaped naphthalimide-annulated corannulene as nonfullerene acceptor in organic solar cells}, series = {Organic Materials}, volume = {2}, journal = {Organic Materials}, number = {3}, issn = {2625-1825}, doi = {10.1055/s-0040-1714283}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-299095}, pages = {229-234}, year = {2020}, abstract = {An electron-poor bowl-shaped naphthalimide-annulated corannulene with branched alkyl residues in the imide position was synthesized by a palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling annulation sequence. This dipolar compound exhibits strong absorption in the visible range along with a low-lying LUMO level at -3.85 eV, enabling n-type charge transport in organic thin-film transistors. Furthermore, we processed inverted bulk-heterojunction solar cells in combination with the two donor polymers PCE-10 and PM6 to achieve open-circuit voltages up to 1.04 V. By using a blend of the self-assembled naphthalimide-annulated corannulene and PCE-10, we were able to obtain a power conversion efficiency of up to 2.1\%, which is to the best of our knowledge the highest reported value for a corannulene-based organic solar cell to date.}, language = {en} } @article{RennerMahlmeisterAnhaltetal.2021, author = {Renner, Rebecca and Mahlmeister, Bernhard and Anhalt, Olga and Stolte, Matthias and W{\"u}rthner, Frank}, title = {Chiral Perylene Bisimide Dyes by Interlocked Arene Substituents in the Bay Area}, series = {Chemistry - A European Journal}, volume = {27}, journal = {Chemistry - A European Journal}, number = {46}, doi = {10.1002/chem.202101877}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-249070}, pages = {11997 -- 12006}, year = {2021}, abstract = {A series of perylene bisimide (PBI) dyes bearing various aryl substituents in 1,6,7,12 bay positions has been synthesized by Suzuki cross-coupling reaction. These molecules exhibit an exceptionally large and conformationally fixed twist angle of the PBI π-core due to the high steric congestion imparted by the aryl substituents in bay positions. Single crystal X-ray analyses of phenyl-, naphthyl- and pyrenyl-functionalized PBIs reveal interlocked π-π-stacking motifs, leading to conformational chirality and the possibility for the isolation of enantiopure atropoisomers by semipreparative HPLC. The interlocked arrangement endows these molecules with substantial racemization barriers of about 120 kJ mol\(^{-1}\) for the tetraphenyl- and tetra-2-naphthyl-substituted derivatives, which is among the highest racemization barriers for axially chiral PBIs. Variable temperature NMR studies reveal the presence of a multitude of up to fourteen conformational isomers in solution that are interconverted via smaller activation barriers of about 65 kJ mol\(^{-1}\). The redox and optical properties of these core-twisted PBIs have been characterized by cyclic voltammetry, UV/Vis/NIR and fluorescence spectroscopy and their respective atropo-enantiomers were further characterized by circular dichroism (CD) and circular polarized luminescence (CPL) spectroscopy.}, language = {en} } @article{StolteHechtXieetal.2020, author = {Stolte, Matthias and Hecht, Reinhard and Xie, Zengqi and Liu, Linlin and Kaufmann, Christina and Kudzus, Astrid and Schmidt, David and W{\"u}rthner, Frank}, title = {Crystal Engineering of 1D Exciton Systems Composed of Single- and Double-Stranded Perylene Bisimide J-Aggregates}, series = {Advanced Optical Materials}, volume = {8}, journal = {Advanced Optical Materials}, number = {18}, doi = {10.1002/adom.202000926}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-218221}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Single crystals of three at bay area tetraphenoxy-substituted perylene bisimide dyes are grown by vacuum sublimation. X-ray analysis reveals the self-assembly of these highly twisted perylene bisimides (PBIs) in the solid state via imide-imide hydrogen bonding into hydrogen-bonded PBI chains. The crystallographic insights disclose that the conformation and sterical congestion imparted by the phenoxy substituents can be controlled by ortho-substituents. Accordingly, whilst sterically less demanding methyl and isopropyl substituents afford double-stranded PBI chains of complementary P and M atropo-enantiomers, single hydrogen-bonded chains of homochiral PBIs are observed for the sterically more demanding ortho-phenyl substituents. Investigation of the absorption and fluorescence properties of microcrystals and thin films of these PBIs allow for an unambiguous interpretation of these exciton systems. Thus, the J-aggregates of the double-stranded crystals exhibit a much larger (negative) exciton coupling than the single-stranded one, which in contrast has the higher solid-state fluorescence quantum yield.}, language = {en} } @article{HeWuD'Avinoetal.2018, author = {He, Tao and Wu, Yanfei and D'Avino, Gabriele and Schmidt, Elliot and Stolte, Matthias and Cornil, J{\´e}r{\^o}me and Beljonne, David and Ruden, P. Paul and W{\"u}rthner, Frank and Frisbie, C. Daniel}, title = {Crystal step edges can trap electrons on the surfaces of n-type organic semiconductors}, series = {Nature Communications}, volume = {9}, journal = {Nature Communications}, doi = {10.1038/s41467-018-04479-z}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-227957}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Understanding relationships between microstructure and electrical transport is an important goal for the materials science of organic semiconductors. Combining high-resolution surface potential mapping by scanning Kelvin probe microscopy (SKPM) with systematic field effect transport measurements, we show that step edges can trap electrons on the surfaces of single crystal organic semiconductors. n-type organic semiconductor crystals exhibiting positive step edge surface potentials display threshold voltages that increase and carrier mobilities that decrease with increasing step density, characteristic of trapping, whereas crystals that do not have positive step edge surface potentials do not have strongly step density dependent transport. A device model and microelectrostatics calculations suggest that trapping can be intrinsic to step edges for crystals of molecules with polar substituents. The results provide a unique example of a specific microstructure-charge trapping relationship and highlight the utility of surface potential imaging in combination with transport measurements as a productive strategy for uncovering microscopic structure-property relationships in organic semiconductors.}, language = {en} } @article{BoldStolteShoyamaetal.2022, author = {Bold, Kevin and Stolte, Matthias and Shoyama, Kazutaka and Holzapfel, Marco and Schmiedel, Alexander and Lambert, Christoph and W{\"u}rthner, Frank}, title = {Macrocyclic donor-acceptor dyads composed of a perylene bisimide dye surrounded by oligothiophene bridges}, series = {Angewandte Chemie Internationale Edition}, volume = {61}, journal = {Angewandte Chemie Internationale Edition}, number = {1}, doi = {10.1002/anie.202113598}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-256569}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Two macrocyclic architectures comprising oligothiophene strands that connect the imide positions of a perylene bisimide (PBI) dye have been synthesized via a platinum-mediated cross-coupling strategy. The crystal structure of the double bridged PBI reveals all syn-arranged thiophene units that completely enclose the planar PBI chromophore via a 12-membered macrocycle. The target structures were characterized by steady-state UV/Vis absorption, fluorescence and transient absorption spectroscopy, as well as cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry. Both donor-acceptor dyads show ultrafast F{\"o}rster Resonance Energy Transfer and photoinduced electron transfer, thereby leading to extremely low fluorescence quantum yields even in the lowest polarity cyclohexane solvent.}, language = {en} } @article{BoldStolteShoyamaetal.2022, author = {Bold, Kevin and Stolte, Matthias and Shoyama, Kazutaka and Krause, Ana-Maria and Schmiedel, Alexander and Holzapfel, Marco and Lambert, Christoph and W{\"u}rthner, Frank}, title = {Macrocyclic Donor-Acceptor Dyads Composed of Oligothiophene Half-Cycles and Perylene Bisimides}, series = {Chemistry - A European Journal}, volume = {28}, journal = {Chemistry - A European Journal}, number = {30}, doi = {10.1002/chem.202200355}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-276435}, year = {2022}, abstract = {A series of donor-acceptor (D-A) macrocyclic dyads consisting of an electron-poor perylene bisimide (PBI) π-scaffold bridged with electron-rich α-oligothiophenes bearing four, five, six and seven thiophene units between the two phenyl-imide substituents has been synthesized and characterized by steady-state UV/Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry as well as transient absorption spectroscopy. Tying the oligothiophene strands in a conformationally fixed macrocyclic arrangement leads to a more rigid π-scaffold with vibronic fine structure in the respective absorption spectra. Electrochemical analysis disclosed charged state properties in solution which are strongly dependent on the degree of rigidification within the individual macrocycle. Investigation of the excited state dynamics revealed an oligothiophene bridge size-dependent fast charge transfer process for the macrocyclic dyads upon PBI subunit excitation.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{StennettBissingerGriesbecketal.2019, author = {Stennett, Tom E. and Bissinger, Philipp and Griesbeck, Stefanie and Ullrich, Stefan and Krummenacher, Ivo and Auth, Michael and Sperlich, Andreas and Stolte, Matthias and Radacki, Krzysztof and Yao, Chang-Jiang and W{\"u}rthner, Frank and Steffen, Andreas and Marder, Todd B. and Braunschweig, Holger}, title = {Near-Infrared Quadrupolar Chromophores Combining Three-Coordinate Boron-Based Superdonor and Superacceptor Units}, series = {Angewandte Chemie, International Edition}, journal = {Angewandte Chemie, International Edition}, doi = {10.1002/anie.201900889}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-180391}, year = {2019}, abstract = {In this work, two new quadrupolar A-π-D-π-A chromophores have been prepared featuring a strongly electron- donating diborene core and strongly electron-accepting dimesitylboryl F(BMes2) and bis(2,4,6-tris(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)boryl (BMes2) end groups. Analysis of the compounds by NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, cyclic voltammetry and UV-vis-NIR absorption and emission spectroscopy indicated that the compounds possess extended conjugated π-systems spanning their B4C8 cores. The combination of exceptionally potent π-donor (diborene) and π- acceptor (diarylboryl) groups, both based on trigonal boron, leads to very small HOMO-LUMO gaps, resulting in strong absorption in the near-IR region with maxima in THF at 840 and 1092 nm, respectively, and very high extinction coefficients of ca. 120,000 M-1cm-1. Both molecules also display weak near-IR fluorescence with small Stokes shifts.}, language = {en} }