1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethene

Description

## 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethene: A Versatile Building Block for Materials Science

**1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethene** (abbreviated as BPE) is an organic compound with the formula C12H10N2. It consists of two pyridine rings linked by an ethene (ethylene) bridge.

**Why is it important for research?**

BPE is a highly versatile building block for the synthesis of various materials with interesting properties. Here's a breakdown of its key applications and research interest:

**1. Coordination Polymers and Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs):**

* BPE possesses two pyridine rings that act as strong coordination sites for metal ions. This enables the formation of diverse coordination polymers and MOFs with tailored structures and functionalities.
* These materials exhibit potential applications in areas such as:
* **Gas adsorption and separation:** For storage and selective capture of gases like CO2, H2, and methane.
* **Catalysis:** As heterogeneous catalysts for various organic transformations.
* **Sensing:** For detecting specific molecules or ions due to their unique sensing properties.

**2. Organic Electronics and Optoelectronics:**

* BPE's conjugated structure and electron-rich pyridine rings allow it to exhibit interesting electronic and optical properties.
* It can be incorporated into organic electronic devices like:
* **Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs):** For efficient and colorful displays.
* **Organic solar cells:** To enhance their efficiency and stability.
* **Organic field-effect transistors (OFETs):** For flexible and low-cost electronic applications.

**3. Supramolecular Chemistry:**

* BPE can form self-assembled structures through non-covalent interactions like hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking.
* This ability leads to:
* **Supramolecular gels and polymers:** With potential applications in bio-mimicking, drug delivery, and sensors.
* **Self-healing materials:** Capable of repairing themselves after damage.

**4. Other Applications:**

* **Liquid crystals:** BPE derivatives can act as liquid crystal materials used in display technologies and other applications.
* **Luminescent materials:** Some derivatives of BPE exhibit strong luminescence, which can be utilized in sensors, lighting, and biological imaging.

**Overall, 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethene is a valuable building block in materials science research, offering a wide range of applications with significant potential across various fields.**

**Current research focus**:

Ongoing research aims to develop new synthetic strategies for BPE-based materials, explore their structure-property relationships, and optimize their performance for specific applications. The synthesis of BPE-based polymers, MOFs, and organic electronic devices is currently a hot topic in materials science research.

1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethene: structure in first source [Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), National Library of Medicine, extracted Dec-2023]