A Stable, NH-Containing Chiral Nanographene: An Electroactive N-Doped π-System for Chiroptics and Spin-Selective Transport
Abstract
The integration of nitrogen atoms into chiral nanographenes (c-NGs) offers a powerful strategy for designing chiral materials with programmable electronic and chiroptical responses. However, the preparation of stable N-doped c-NGs featuring free NH groups─an essential chemical handle─remains a major synthetic challenge. Herein, we report a highly stable N-doped c-NG ( NHNG ) featuring a free NH moiety, which enables comprehensive investigation of not only its structural but also its optical, redox, electronic, and spintronic properties. X-ray crystallography reveals an intriguing π-scaffold combining three coexisting topologies: two helical and one saddle-shaped. By virtue of its extended conjugation, NHNG displays strong visible-light absorption (ε = 170,000 M –1 cm –1 ) and a rich electrochemical profile, with four oxidations leading to persistent cationic species that exhibit sharp near-infrared absorptions. In parallel, time-resolved microwave conductivity measurements demonstrate notable photoconductivity (ϕΣμ max = 3.0 × 10 –5 cm 2 V –1 s –1 ). Owing to their robustness, the corresponding M - and P -enantiomers were resolved and found to exhibit pronounced chiroptical properties, with | g abs | = 4.2 × 10 –3 and | g lum | = 2.2 × 10 –3 . Remarkably, both enantiomers also display spin-selective charge transport via the chiral-induced spin selectivity effect, reaching spin-polarization values of ∼80%─among the highest reported for single-molecule-based π-conjugated spin filters. Altogether, these findings render NHNG a multifunctional chiral platform for next-generation optoelectronic, spintronic, and chiroptical applications.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Synthesis and Properties of Aromatic Compounds
Axial and Atropisomeric Chirality Synthesis
Metamaterials and Metasurfaces Applications
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Journal of the American Chemical Society
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Volume
- 148
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 9670–9679
- Publication date
- 26 February 2026
- Language
- EN