What is "acene"

n. (context organic chemistry English) Any polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon containing a rectilinear arrangement of fused benzene rings.

The acenes or polyacenes are a class of organic compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons made up of linearly fused benzene rings. The larger representatives have potential interest in optoelectronic applications and are actively researched in chemistry and electrical engineering. Pentacene has been incorporated into organic field-effect transistors, reaching charge carrier mobilities as high as 5 cm/Vs.

The first 7 unsubstituted members are listed in table 1.

Name

Molecular formula

Number of rings

Molar mass

CAS number

Structural formula

Benzene

CH

1

78.11 g/ mol

71-43-2

Benzol.svg

Naphthalene

CH

2

128.17 g/ mol

91-20-3

Naphthalene-2D-Skeletal.svg

Anthracene

CH

3

178.23 g/ mol

120-12-7

Anthracene-2D-Skeletal.png

Tetracene

CH

4

228.29 g/ mol

92-24-0

Naftacene.svg

Pentacene

CH

5

278.35 g/ mol

135-48-8

Pentacene.svg

Hexacene

CH

6

328.41 g/ mol

258-31-1

Hexacene.svg

Heptacene

CH

7

378.46 g/ mol

258-38-8

Heptaceen.png

The last members, hexacene and heptacene, are very reactive and have only been isolated in a matrix. However, bis(trialkylsilylethynylated) versions of hexacene and heptacene have been isolated as crystalline solids.