Graphene nanoribbons with controlled zig-zag edge and cove edge configuration

A graphene nanoribbon, represented by structure (i), structure (ii), structure (iii), structure (iv), structure (v), structure (vi), structure (vii), structure (viii), or structure (ix):

• wherein:
• X independently from each other, are a leaving group, hydrogen, or a free radical;
• Rb independently from each other are hydrogen, a linear C1-C30 alkyl, a branched C1-C30, alkyl, OR3 or NR1R2;
• wherein:
• R1 and R2 are, independently of each other, hydrogen, a linear C1-C6alkyl, a branched C1-C6alkyl, or phenyl, or R1 and R2 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bonded form a group represented by
• and
• R3 is selected from hydrogen, C1-C30 alkyl and phenyl, which may be unsubstituted or substituted by one or more C1-C4 alkyl, phenyl, halogen, C1-C4 alkoxy or C1-C4 alkylthiol;
• or
• Rb is alpha-hydrogen substituted aryl that may form a 5-membered carbocyclic ring with a neighboring hydrogen substituted edge carbon by cycloannelation;
• or
• one of two direct neighboring groups Rb is an alpha-hydrogen substituted aryl and the other is hydrogen, and the two carbon atoms substituted with hydrogen may form a 5-membered carbocyclic ring by cycloannelation,
• Rc independently of each other, are hydrogen or C1-C10 alkyl;
• or
• two neighboring groups Rc are hydrogen, and the two carbon atoms substituted with hydrogen may form a 5-membered carbocyclic ring by cycloannelation;
• and
• n is an integer of from 2 to 2500.