"The aim of this proposal is to create smart materials for use in molecular optoelectronics. I will prepare novel oligothiophenes (OT) tethered covalently to blue naphthalenediimides (B). The systems will be constructed such that they will self assemble in a ‘zipper’ like fashion. Synthetic tuning of the OT-B building blocks will allow for the preparation of electronically distinct mulitlayers of different OT-Bs to form gradients down which redox equivalents can flow i.e. a supramolecular n/p-heterojunction (SHJ) which upon irradiation with light will enable light harvesting through rapid gradient mediated charge separation. The question to be addressed is whether the HOMO of OTs are sufficiently high for photoinduced charge separation (PCS) in response to excitation. Hole transfer from B to OT after excitation is essential for construction of supramolecular n/p-heterojunction (SHJ) photosystems, where electrons are transported in stacks of B aligned next to hole-transporting strings of OT. If successively, the problem of how to intergrate blue B chromophores into a SHJ photosystem will be solved. If unsuccessful the OT backbone will be modified synthetically to increase the energy of the HOMO. The subsequent question concerns the compatibility of the OT-B structure with zipper assembly on solid substrates. This will be attempted with the methods established with oligophenylethynyl (OPE-R) and p-oligophenyl (POP-Y) zippers (critical thickness, LBL, QCM controls, etc). Initially, the already available OPE-N initiator will be used. Subsequently the OT-B modules will be integrated into orientated multicolour antiparallel redox gradient supramolecular hetereojunction (OMARG-SHJ) zippers. The OMARG-SHJ zipper will be constructed with red OPE-R (R = red naphthalenediimides) on yellow POP-Y zippers and then blue OT-B zippers on red OPE-R zippers providing 3-component redox gradients for electron transport with antiparallel POP-OPE-OT redox gradients for hole transport."