Quinoid-viologen conjugates: Redox properties and host-guest complex with cucurbiturils

Viologens are known as an excellent electron acceptor and a versatile supramolecular building block, the physical property of which can be tuned by varying N-substitution. Herein, we present class unprecedented quinoid-viologen conjugates wherein quinoidal unit is incorporated part extended π-system viologen units through Such molecules show intriguing optical electronic properties inherited from both quinoid constituents, displaying stronger accepting characters, visible absorption, reversible redox activity, modulated electrochromism, characteristic binding towards Cucurbit [n]urils (n = 7 8). This molecular design strategy points to new direction diversify viologens for functional electroactive materials complex architectures.