Polyconjugated materials for printed (opto)electronics: introducing sustainability

This account summarizes the impact that the quest for sustainability is having on the field of organic polyconjugate molecules and polymers for plastic (opto)electronics. While at the proof-of-concept level, the design criteria as well as the preferred synthetic strategies to access new and improved materials, have been dominated by the need of performance. The ongoing transition from the lab environment to the industrial scale imposes strict limitations to the cost and overall environmental impact of new materials. We here summarize our efforts devoted to the development of new design criteria and synthetic strategies aimed at improving sustainability - without compromising performances - in organic polyconjugated molecules. The article is composed of three sections: Introduction and motivation, sustainability through improved synthetic methods and through improved design. Outline 1 Introduction and motivation 2 Sustainable reaction methods 2.1 The new tools: reactions in aqueous solution of surfactants 2.2 Intrinsically more sustainable reactions: direct arylation 2.3 Sustainable multistep protocols: combining micellar, solventless and mechanochemical methods. 3 Sustainability as a design criterion: de novo design 4 Conclusion.