Selective Schiff Base Formation of Group 9 Organometallic Complexes with Functionalized Spirobifluorene Ligands.

Organic amines are important compounds present in a wide variety of products, which makes the development of new systems for their detection an interesting field of study. New organometallic complexes of group 9 [MCp*X(2'-R-2-py-SBF)] (M = Ir, Rh; R = H, X = Cl (6), R = H, X = OAc (7), R = CHO, X = Cl (8)), and [IrCp*Cl(2', 7-diCHO-2-py-SBF)] (9) (Cp* pentamethylcyclopentadienyl, SBF = 9,9'-spirobifluorene) bearing bidentate C-N ligands based on 9,9'-spirobifluorene were obtained and characterized by NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, IR spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis when possible. The formation of a Schiff base to give complexes with the formula [MCp*Cl(2'-CH=NR-2-py-SBF)] (M = Ir, Rh; R = alkyl or aryl (10-12)), through condensation of an amine, and the aldehyde group present in these new complexes was studied leading to a selective reactivity depending on the nature of the amine and the metal center. While the iridium complexes only react with aromatic amines, the rhodium derivative requires heat for those but can react at room temperature with aliphatic amines.

Optical and electrochemical properties of spirobifluorene iridanaphthalene complexes.

Three new spirobifluorene iridaaromatic compounds bearing electron-withdrawing or electron-donor substituents or another iridanaphthalene moiety have been synthesized and structurally characterized. Thorough experimental and theoretical evaluation revealed that these novel systems present a high thermal, air and electrochemical stability as well as low optical and electronic energy gap values with a significant redshift of the absorption maximum in the UV-Vis spectra and predicted remarkably higher first hyperpolarizabilities compared to their organic counterparts. Therefore, the combination of a metallaaromatic system with a spirobifluorene moiety leads to the design and development of new spirobifluorene derivatives. These new systems have shown interesting optical and electronic properties making them of interest for future applications in optoelectronics.

ON/OFF Spiroconjugation through Peripheral Functionalization: Impact on the Reactivity and Chiroptical Properties of Spirobifluorenes.

Spirobifluorenes are an important class of spiro compounds frequently used in the field of organic electronics. However, harnessing spiroconjugation to obtain high-performance in such structural motifs remains unexplored. We herein propose that peripheral functionalization may serve as a useful tool to control spiroconjugation in an ON/OFF manner on both chemical reactivity and photophysical properties. In particular, the ratio of mono- and di-functionalized spirobifluorenes found experimentally during their synthesis were found to be 3/2, 7/2, and 12/2 for phenyl, nitro-phenyl and amino-phenyl analogues, respectively. These remarkable reactivity differences correlate with the spiroconjugation character evaluated theoretically at the CAM-B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level of theory. Additionally, comparison of experimental and predicted optical and chiroptical responses shows that spiroconjugated molecular orbitals have a significant or negligible involvement on the main electronic transitions depending on the peripheral functionality of the spirobifluorene.

Distinct Helical Molecular Orbitals through Conformational Lock*.

Several theoretical studies have proposed strategies to generate helical molecular orbitals (Hel-MOs) in [n]cumulenes and oligoynes. While chiral even-[n] cumulenes feature Hel-MOs, odd-[n] cumulenes may also present them if the terminal groups lie in different planes. However, the proposed systems have been either experimentally unfeasible or resulted in opposite pseudo-degenerated Hel-MOs. We hereby demonstrate the introduction of a remarkable energy difference between helical orbitals of opposite twist by fixing the torsion angle between the terminal groups in butadiyne fragments. To experimentally lock the conformation of the terminal groups, we designed and synthesized cyclic architectures by combining acetylenes with chiral spirobifluorenes. The high stability of these systems with distinct helical orbitals allowed their isolation and full characterization. In our view, these results constitute a step further in the development of real systems presenting helical molecular orbitals.

Design and synthesis of chiral spirobifluorenes.

Chiroptical spectroscopic methods serve as a practical tool for the structural characterization of chiral systems based on the interaction with polarized light. The higher sensitivity of these methods, compared with their achiral counterparts, not only enables the determination of absolute configuration and conformational preferences, but also supramolecular interactions may be monitored. In order to expand the applicability of chiroptical systems, the development of functional materials exhibiting intense chiroptical responses is essential. As a proof of principle, we previously constructed chiroptical interfaces via thioacetate-derivatized allenes. Because of the photoisomerization issues associated with allenes, we have recently proposed their replacement by spirobifluorenes to achieve robust chiroptical systems. Thus, we hereby present the design and synthesis of chiral spirobifluorenes bearing thioacetates suitable for suface functionalization.

Chiroptical Sensing: A Conceptual Introduction.

Chiroptical responses have been an essential tool over the last decades for chemical structural elucidation due to their exceptional sensitivity to geometry and intermolecular interactions. In recent times, there has been an increasing interest in the search for more efficient sensing by the rational design of tailored chiroptical systems. In this review article, advances made in chiroptical systems towards their implementation in sensing applications are summarized. Strategies to generate chiroptical responses are illustrated. Theoretical approaches to assist in the design of these systems are discussed. The development of efficient chiroptical reporters in different states of matter, essential for the implementation in sensing devises, is reviewed. In the last part, remarkable examples of chiroptical sensing applications are highlighted.

Spirobifluorene Metallaaromatics.

Spirobifluorene derivatives find use in many end-user applications. Therefore, further expansion of their scope is the focus of many research studies. However, although the optical properties of spirobifluorenes can be greatly tuned through incorporation of metal complexes, to date, spirobifluorene metallaaromatics remain unknown. Taking advantage of the versatility of our methodology for the synthesis of metallaaromatic systems, this work reports the first metallaaromatic spirobifluorene compound. The presence of an Ir atom was found to redshift the absorption maximum by ca. 1.1 eV compared to bare spirobifluorene. Additionally, X-ray analysis as well as anisotropy of the current-induced density calculations revealed this compound to be of aromatic nature. The high stability in solution, solid state, under air, and at high temperature, as well as distinct optical properties of this new class of compounds are expected to open new frontiers for chiroptical and optoelectronic applications.

First total synthesis of dioxepine bastadin 3.

The synthesis of dioxepine bastadin 3, a tyrosine-tyramine derivative with a dibenzo-1,3-dioxepine scaffold that is rarely present among natural products, is described. The dibenzo-1,3-dioxepine ring was formed early in the sequence and the (E)-2-(hydroxyimino)-N-alkylamide was generated in the last step by oxidation of the 2-amino-N-alkylamide precursor. The presumably biogenetic late-stage ring formation starting from congener bastadin 3 failed. A new synthesis of this alkaloid was also developed. This new route requires a minimal use of protecting groups and the order of the two key steps was reversed relative to the route to dioxepine bastadin 3.