Phenothiazine-based derivatives for optoelectronic applications: A review

Phenothiazine is a butterfly shaped molecule endowed with remarkable electronic properties and functions. The photoluminescence, electroluminescence and electro-chemical properties of this molecule can be significantly modified by derivatization of the parent phenothiazine moiety. In the last few decades, this electroactive molecule and its derivatives have provided a versatile platform for developing materials with wide range of applications. This article provides a recent (2017–2019) account of the development of small to medium sized phenothiazine-based conjugated materials for optoelectronic (viz. bulk hetero-junction solar cells, dye sensitized solar cells, organic light emitting diodes, hole transporting and nonlinear optical materials) and sensing applications. Attempts have been made to delineate the structure-property relationship in phenothiazine-based conjugated materials. Based on that, future directions and conclusion have been outlined.