Yellow Light-Emitting Highly Soluble Perylene Bisimide Dyes by Acetalization of Bay-Hydroxy Groups

A new class of perylene bisimide (PBI) derivatives is introduced by bridging 1,12- and 1,6,7,12-hydroxy functionalized bay positions with oxygen–carbon–oxygen linker(s). This functionalization rigidifies the inherently twisted bay-substituted perylene core to afford dyes of high stability and solubility that are characterized by vibronically well-resolved absorption and fluorescence spectra and intense yellow emission with quantum yields close to 100%.