Recent Advances in Engineering Aromatic Frameworks having Benzene Derivatives to Functional Polycyclic Aromatic Materials

Abstract

Aromatic compounds, from benzene to large polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), are central building blocks of modern functional materials. Their delocalized π-electron systems give chemical stability, strong light absorption and emission, efficient charge transport and a strong tendency to self-assemble. This mini review traces the progression from classical aromatics (benzene, naphthalene, anthracene, pyrene) to heteroatom-engineered PAHs, with emphasis on boron–nitrogen (BN)-doped and boron–oxygen (BO)-fused frameworks. We summarize the main molecular engineering strategies — π-extension, ring fusion, heteroatom substitution, donor–acceptor design, multiple resonance (MR) architectures and supramolecular control and relate each to its effect on frontier orbital energies, photophysics, packing and stability. Representative applications in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and in fluorescent, chemical, gas and biological sensing are then discussed. Finally, we outline the remaining challenges, including synthetic complexity, aggregation-caused quenching, operational stability and scalability, and the directions most likely to shape next-generation aromatic materials.