每周分子 | Molecule of the Week

Original CAS ACS美国化学会 2022-07-01

每周分子: ‍并四苯

Molecule of the Week: Tetracene

并四苯是一种四环多核物质（多环芳烃，PAH）。它是线性排列的多环芳烃家族的第二个成员，从蒽开始，一直延伸到并五苯、并六苯等。亮橙色分子也被称为四环苯、2,3-苯并蒽和苯并[b]蒽。

与许多多环芳烃不同，并四苯并不致癌。但是人们早在20世纪30年代就研究了它的致癌性。早期的研究人员是来自英国伦敦癌症医院的James W. Cook及其同事们、以及来自威廉皇帝医学研究院¹(德国海德堡)的Alfred Winterstein和KarlSchön。

直到2007年，研究人员才发现它是一种在有机场效应晶体管（OFET）和有机发光二极管（OLED）中很有用的半导体，但当时没有对并四苯进行太多的研究。今年，麻省理工学院（美国马萨诸塞州剑桥市）的电气工程师Marc A. Baldo及其同事和普林斯顿大学（美国新泽西州）将其用于硅太阳能电池（SSC）。

目前单层SSC的最大效率（太阳光转换为有用电能）为29％。当研究人员将半导体并四苯加入到SSCs中时，电池单元的效率提高到35％。通过从并四苯释放激子的复杂过程，SSC的波长范围变宽，使电池更有效。

其他太阳能电池研究人员认为Baldo团队的研究结果是一项重大突破，并打算通过将其纳入自己的研究来跟进。

并四苯信息速览

CAS登记号	92-24-0
分子式	C₁₈H₁₂
摩尔质量	228.29 g/mol
外观	橙黄至桔红晶体或粉末
熔点	357 ºC
水溶性	不溶

并四苯危害信息

GHS分类*：非有害物质或混合物

【关于每周分子】

自2001年以来，“每周分子”已成为广受欢迎的栏目。多数分子由读者推荐。每个结构都经由科学家审查，并以3-D和平面图像的形式显示，同时附有该分子简介。可以通过美国化学文摘社（CAS）提供的SciFinder中的CAS REGISTRY获取“每周分子”的更多信息。CAS REGISTRY中的每条物质信息都展示了物质的CAS登记号、索引名、通用名、商品名、书目信息等其他更多信息。发送邮件至motw@acs.org推荐您感兴趣的分子吧。

Tetracene is a four-ring polynuclear (i.e., polycyclic) aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). It is the second member of the “acene” family of linearly arranged PAHs that begins with anthracene and continues to pentacene, hexacene, and beyond. The bright orange molecule is also known as naphthacene, 2,3-benzanthracene, and benz[b]anthracene.

Unlike many PAHs, tetracene is not carcinogenic. But it was studied for carcinogenicity as long ago as the 1930s. Early researchers were James W. Cook and co-workers at the Cancer Hospital of London and Alfred Winterstein and Karl Schön at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Medical Research¹ (Heidelberg, Germany).

Not much was done with tetracene until 2007, when researchers discovered that it is a semiconductor that was useful in organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). This year, electrical engineer Marc A. Baldo at MIT (Cambridge, MA) and colleagues there and at Princeton University (NJ) incorporated it into silicon solar cells (SSCs).

The maximum efficiency (conversion of sunlight into useful electricity) of single-layer SSCs is currently 29%. When the researchers added the semiconductor tetracene to SSCs, the cells’ efficiency increased to 35%. Through a complex process involving the emission of excitons from tetracene, the SSCs’ wavelength range widened, making the cells more efficient.

Other solar cell researchers consider the Baldo team’s findings to be a major breakthrough and intend to follow it up by incorporating them in their own research.

1. Now the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research.

Tetracene fast facts

CAS Reg. No.	92-24-0
Empirical formula	C₁₈H₁₂
Molar mass	228.29 g/mol
Appearance	Yellow-orange to red-orange crystals or powder
Melting point	357 ºC
Water solubility	Insoluble

Tetracene hazard information

GHS classification*: not a hazardous substance or mixture

*Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals.

About Molecule of the Week

MOTW has been a popular feature on ACS website since 2001. Many molecules are suggested by our website visitors. Every structure is reviewed by a scientist and displayed in 3-D and flat images with a brief description. Each week's molecule also links to a sample record from the CAS REGISTRY, which is searched using SciFinder. Each record displays the registry number, index name and synonyms, bibliographic information, and more. Send us a molecule suggestion at motw@acs.org.

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