Nitrogen-containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with bowl-shaped structures: synthesis, architecture, and applications

Abstract

Bowl-shaped polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have garnered significant attention over the past decades due to their visually striking molecular architectures, along with their exceptional physical and chemical properties. These unique characteristics make them valuable scaffolds in supramolecular chemistry and materials science. A widely adopted strategy to further enhance the properties of PAHs involves the introduction of heteroatoms into their molecular framework. Specifically, nitrogen-doping has emerged as a powerful tool to fine-tune the electronic, structural, and chemical properties of bowl-shaped PAHs, imparting new functionalities. In recent years, nitrogen-containing bowl-shaped PAHs with increasingly diverse structures and properties have become a focal point of research in materials and supramolecular science. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the latest developments in the synthesis, structural characteristics, and supramolecular assembly of nitrogen-containing bowl-shaped PAHs, highlighting their growing importance in advanced material applications.