Synthesis and photophysical characterization of quasi push-pull dicyanodibenzodioxins and their anti-tumor activity against glioma cell line C6.

Dibenzodioxins bearing multiple electron withdrawing groups were synthesized using a simple one-step methodology including examples of molecules possessing electron acceptor groups in both ends. As a consequence internal charge delocalization occurs and the optical spectra are found to be bathochromically shifted compared to similar examples known thus far. A theoretical analysis of the molecular orbitals reveals the origin of the peaks in the dibenzodioxin optical spectra.