Carbazoles

Carbazoles are a class of organic compounds consisting of a tricyclic structure in which two benzene rings are fused on opposite sides of a five-membered nitrogen-containing ring. The parent compound, carbazole, has the chemical formula C12H9N. This heterocyclic aromatic amine is a white crystalline solid. Carbazoles are found naturally in coal tar and can be synthesized through various chemical reactions, such as the Borsche–Drechsel cyclization and the Graebe–Ullmann synthesis.

The carbazole core is a rigid, planar structure that exhibits interesting photophysical properties. This makes carbazole derivatives useful in a variety of applications. They are employed in the development of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) due to their ability to transport charge and emit light. Certain carbazole compounds also show promise as components in organic solar cells and as fluorescent probes in biological imaging. Furthermore, some carbazole derivatives possess pharmacological activity, leading to their investigation for use as potential therapeutic agents, particularly in areas like anticancer and antiviral treatments. The chemical versatility of the carbazole skeleton allows for the introduction of various substituents, enabling fine-tuning of their electronic and optical properties for specific applications.