Toward Thiophene-Annulated Graphene Nanoribbons.

Narrow thiophene-edged graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) were prepared from polychlorinated thiophene-containing poly(p-phenylene)s using the photochemical, metal-free cyclodehydrochlorination (CDHC) reaction. 1 H NMR and Raman spectroscopy confirmed the structures of the GNRs. The regioselectivity of the CDHC reaction allows the preparation of both laterally symmetrical and unsymmetrical GNRs and, consequently, the modulation of their optical and electronic properties.