Pinwheel-like Curved Aromatics from the Cyclotrimerization of Strained Alkyne Cycloparaphenylenes.

Carbon nanomaterials composed of curved aromatics, such as carbon nanotubes, are difficult to selectively synthesize and modify precisely. Smaller molecular fragments of curved nanomaterials, such as cycloparaphenylenes, benefit from the precision of bottom-up synthesis, however, efforts to expand the curved molecular framework into even larger structures often rely on restrictive early stage synthetic strategies or difficult to control polymerizations. In this work we report a high yielding, strain-promoted, late-stage modification of a series of [n + 1]CPPs. We show that the conversion of these [n + 1]CPPs into soluble, pinwheel-like multipore carbon nanostructures is achievable via a straightforward and efficient metal-mediated alkyne cyclotrimerization reaction. We provide insight into suitable metals for this transformation, the photophysics of these trimeric molecules, as well as their strain profiles and crystal packing. We also demonstrate the strain-enhanced nature of the reaction under the optimized conditions, showing that strained internal-alkyne [n + 1]CPPs efficiently undergo complete conversion whereas unstrained diphenylacetylene remains completely unreacted. We anticipate that this work will have broader impacts on the study of reactivity in strained-alkyne-containing hydrocarbons, and that access to this new molecular architecture will inspire new research and applications in materials science and related fields.

[n]Cycloparaphenylenes as Compatible Fluorophores for Melt Electrowriting.

Fluorescent probes are an indispensable tool in the realm of bioimaging technologies, providing valuable insights into the assessment of biomaterial integrity and structural properties. However, incorporating fluorophores into scaffolds made from melt electrowriting (MEW) poses a challenge due to the sustained, elevated temperatures that this processing technique requires. In this context, [n]cycloparaphenylenes ([n]CPPs) serve as excellent fluorophores for MEW processing with the additional benefit of customizable emissions profiles with the same excitation wavelength. Three fluorescent blends are used with distinct [n]CPPs with emission wavelengths of either 466, 494, or 533 nm, identifying 0.01 wt% as the preferred concentration. It is discovered that [n]CPPs disperse well within poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and maintain their fluorescence even after a week of continuous heating at 80 °C. The [n]CPP-PCL blends show no cytotoxicity and support counterstaining with commonly used DAPI (Ex/Em: 359 nm/457 nm), rhodamine- (Ex/Em: 542/565 nm), and fluorescein-tagged (Ex/Em: 490/515 nm) phalloidin stains. Using different color [n]CPP-PCL blends, different MEW fibers are sequentially deposited into a semi-woven scaffold and onto a solution electrospun membrane composed of [8]CPP-PCL as a contrasting substrate for the [10]CPP-PCL MEW fibers. In general, [n]CPPs are potent fluorophores for MEW, providing new imaging options for this technology.

Synthesis and Properties of Fluorenone-Containing Cycloparaphenylenes and Their Late-Stage Transformation.

Cycloparaphenylenes (CPPs) are the smallest possible armchair carbon nanotubes, the properties of which strongly depend on their ring size. They can be further tuned by either peripheral functionalization or by replacing phenylene rings for other aromatic units. Here we show how four novel donor-acceptor chromophores were obtained by incorporating fluorenone or 2-(9H-fluoren-9-ylidene)malononitrile into the loops of two differently sized CPPs. Synthetically, we managed to perform late-stage functionalization of the fluorenone-based rings by high-yielding Knoevenagel condensations. The structures were confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analyses, which revealed that replacing a phenylene for a fused-ring-system acceptor introduces additional strain. The donor-acceptor characters of the CPPs were supported by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic studies, electrochemical studies (displaying the CPPs as multi-redox systems undergoing reversible or quasi-reversible redox events), as well as by computations. The oligophenylene parts were found to comprise the electron donor units of the macrocycles and the fluorenone parts the acceptor units.

A High-Yielding Active Template Click Reaction (AT-CuAAC) for the Synthesis of Mechanically Interlocked Nanohoops.

Mechanically interlocked molecules (MIMs) represent an exciting yet underexplored area of research in the context of carbon nanoscience. Recently, work from our group and others has shown that small carbon nanotube fragments-[n]cycloparaphenylenes ([n]CPPs) and related nanohoop macrocycles-may be integrated into mechanically interlocked architectures by leveraging supramolecular interactions, covalent tethers, or metal-ion templates. Still, available synthetic methods are typically difficult and low yielding, and general methods that allow for the creation of a wide variety of these structures are limited. Here we report an efficient route to interlocked nanohoop structures via the active template Cu-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (AT-CuAAC) reaction. With the appropriate choice of substituents, a macrocyclic precursor to 2,2'-bipyridyl embedded [9]CPP (bipy[9]CPP) participates in the AT-CuAAC reaction to provide [2]rotaxanes in near-quantitative yield, which can then be converted into the fully π-conjugated catenane structures. Through this approach, two nanohoop[2]catenanes are synthesized which consist of a bipy[9]CPP catenated with either Tz[10]CPP or Tz[12]CPP (where Tz denotes a 1,2,3-triazole moiety replacing one phenylene ring in the [n]CPP backbone).

Appending Coronene Diimide with Carbon Nanohoops Allows for Rapid Intersystem Crossing in Neat Film.

The development of innovative triplet materials plays a significant role in various applications. Although effective tuning of triplet formation by intersystem crossing (ISC) has been well established in solution, the modulation of ISC processes in the solid state remains a challenge due to the presence of other exciton decay channels through intermolecular interactions. The cyclic structure of cycloparaphenylenes (CPPs) offers a unique platform to tune the intermolecular packing, which leads to controllable exciton dynamics in the solid state. Herein, by integrating an electron deficient coronene diimide (CDI) unit into the CPP framework, a donor-acceptor type of conjugated macrocycle (CDI-CPP) featuring intramolecular charge-transfer (CT) interaction was designed and synthesized. Effective intermolecular CT interaction resulting from a slipped herringbone packing was confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Transient spectroscopy studies showed that CDI-CPP undergoes ISC in both solution and the film state, with triplet generation time constants of 4.5 ns and 238 ps, respectively. The rapid triplet formation through ISC in the film state can be ascribed to the cooperation between intra- and intermolecular charge-transfer interactions. Our results highlight that intermolecular CT interaction has a pronounced effect on the ISC process in the solid state, and shed light on the use of the characteristic structure of CPPs to manipulate intermolecular CT interactions.

Tunable Macrocyclic Polyparaphenylene Nanolassos via Copper-Free Click Chemistry.

Deriving diverse compound libraries from a single substrate in high yields remains to be a challenge in cycloparaphenylene chemistry. In here, a strategy for the late-stage functionalization of shape-persistent alkyne-containing cycloparaphenylene has been explored using readily available azides. The copper-free [3+2]azide-alkyne cycloaddition provided high yields (>90 %) in a single reaction step. Systematic variation of the azides from electron-rich to -deficient shines light on how peripheral substitution influences the characteristics of the resulting adducts. We find that among the most affected properties are the molecular shape, the oxidation potential, excited state features, and affinities towards different fullerenes. Joint experimental and theoretical results are presented including calculations with the state-of-the-art, artificial intelligence-enhanced quantum mechanical method 1 (AIQM1).

Splitting the Ring: Impact of Ortho and Meta Pi Conjugation Pathways through Disjointed [8]Cycloparaphenylene Electronic Materials.

In this report, we describe the synthesis and electronic properties of small-molecule and polymeric [8]cycloparaphenylenes ([8]CPPs) with disjointed pi-conjugated substituents. Arylene-ethynylene linkers were installed on opposite sides of the [8]CPP nanohoop as separated by three phenyl units on either side such that the monomer systems have syn (C2 symmetry) and anti (C1 symmetry) conformers with a small energy gap (0.1-0.6 kcal/mol). This disjoined substitution pattern necessarily forces delocalization through and around the CPP radial structure. We demonstrate new electronic states from this radial/linear mixing in both the small molecules and the pi extended polymers. Quantum chemical calculations reveal that these electronic processes arise from multiple operative radial/linear conjugation pathways, as the disjoint pattern results in both ortho and meta connections to the CPP ring. These results affirm the unique nature of hybrid radial and linear pi electron delocalization operative in these new conjugation pathways.

Polyyne [3]Rotaxanes: Synthesis via Dicobalt Carbonyl Complexes and Enhanced Stability.

New strategies for synthesizing polyyne polyrotaxanes are being developed as an approach to stable carbyne "insulated molecular wires". Here we report an active metal template route to polyyne [3]rotaxanes, using dicobalt carbonyl masked alkyne equivalents. We synthesized two [3]rotaxanes, both with the same C28 polyyne dumbbell component, one with a phenanthroline-based macrocycle and one using a 2,6-pyridyl cycloparaphenylene nanohoop. The thermal stabilities of the two rotaxanes were compared with that of the naked polyyne dumbbell in decalin at 80 °C, and the nanohoop rotaxane was found to be 4.5 times more stable.

Spin-Crossover Properties of an Iron(II) Coordination Nanohoop.

Addition of the bipyridyl-embedded cycloparaphenylene nanohoop bipy[9]CPP to [Fe{H2 B(pyz)2 }] (pyz=pyrazolyl) produces the distorted octahedral complex [Fe(bipy[9]CPP){H2 B(pyz)2 }2 ] (1). The molecular structure of 1 shows that the nanohoop ligand contains a non-planar bipy unit. Magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate spin-crossover (SCO) behaviour with a T1/2 of 130 K, lower than that of 160 K observed with the related compound [Fe(bipy){H2 B(pyz)2 }2 ] (2), which contains a conventional bipy ligand. A computational study of 1 and 2 reveals that the curvature of the nanohoop leads to the different SCO properties, suggesting that the SCO behaviour of iron(II) can be tuned by varying the size and diameter of the nanohoop.

Exploration of the Solid-State Sorption Properties of Shape-Persistent Macrocyclic Nanocarbons as Bulk Materials and Small Aggregates.

Porous molecular materials combine benefits such as convenient processability and the possibility for atom-precise structural fine-tuning which makes them remarkable candidates for specialty applications in the areas of gas separation, catalysis, and sensing. In order to realize the full potential of these materials and guide future molecular design, knowledge of the transition from molecular properties into materials behavior is essential. In this work, the class of compounds termed cycloparaphenylenes (CPPs)-shape-persistent macrocycles with built-in cavities and radially oriented π-systems-was selected as a conceptually simple class of intrinsically porous nanocarbons to serve as a platform for studying the transition from analyte sorption properties of small aggregates to those of bulk materials. In our detailed investigation, two series of CPPs were probed: previously reported hoop-shaped [n]CPPs and a novel family of all-phenylene figure-8 shaped (lemniscal) bismacrocycles, termed spiro[n,n]CPPs. A series of nanocarbons with different macrocycle sizes and heteroatom content have been prepared by atom-precise organic synthetic methods, and their structural, photophysical, and electronic attributes were disclosed. Detailed experimental studies (X-ray crystallography, gas sorption, and quartz-crystal microbalance measurements) and quantum chemical calculations provided ample evidence for the importance of the solid-state arrangement on the porosity and analyte uptake ability of intrinsically porous molecular nanocarbons. We demonstrate that this molecular design principle, i.e., incorporation of sterically demanding spiro junctions into the backbone of nanohoops, enables the manipulation of solid-state morphology without significantly changing the nature and size of the macrocyclic cavities. As a result, the novel spiro[n,n]CPPs showed a remarkable performance as high affinity material for vapor analyte sensing.

Linear and Radial Conjugation in Extended π-Electron Systems.

We describe the synthesis and electronic properties of new π-conjugated small molecules and polymers that combine the linear intramolecular conjugation pathways commonly associated with organic electronic materials with the emerging properties of radial conjugation found in cycloparaphenylenes (CPPs) and other curved π-surfaces. Using arylene ethynylenes as prototypical linear segments and [6]/[8]CPP as the radial segments, we demonstrate the formation of new electronic states that are not simply additive responses from the individual components. Quantum chemical calculations of model oligomeric structures reveal these electronic processes to arise from the hybrid nature of wave function delocalization over the linear and radial contributors in the photophysically relevant electronic states.

Active Metal Template Synthesis and Characterization of a Nanohoop [c2]Daisy Chain Rotaxane.

Molecules and materials that demonstrate large amplitude responses to minor changes in their local environment play an important role in the development of new forms of nanotechnology. Molecular daisy chains are a type of a mechanically interlocked molecule that are particularly sensitive to such changes in which, in the presence of certain stimuli, the molecular linkage enables muscle-like movement between a reduced-length contracted form and an increased-length expanded form. To date, all reported syntheses of molecular daisy chains are accomplished via passive-template methods, resulting in a majority of structures being switchable only through the addition of an exogenous stimuli such as metal ions or changes in pH. Here, we describe a new approach to these structural motifs that exploits a multi-component active-metal template synthesis to mechanically interlock two pi-rich nanohoop macrocycles into a molecular daisy chain that undergoes large conformational changes using thermal energy.

Precision Nanotube Mimics via Self-Assembly of Programmed Carbon Nanohoops.

The scalable production of homogeneous, uniform carbon nanomaterials represents a key synthetic challenge for contemporary organic synthesis as nearly all current fabrication methods provide heterogeneous mixtures of various carbonized products. For carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in particular, the inability to access structures with specific diameters or chiralities severely limits their potential applications. Here, we present a general approach to access solid-state CNT mimic structures via the self-assembly of fluorinated nanohoops, which can be synthesized in a scalable, size-selective fashion. X-ray crystallography reveals that these CNT mimics exhibit uniform channel diameters that are precisely defined by the diameter of their nanohoop constituents, which self-assemble in a tubular fashion via a combination of arene-pefluoroarene and C-H-F interactions. The nanotube-like assembly of these systems results in capabilities such as linear guest alignment and accessible channels, both of which are observed in CNTs but not in the analogous all-hydrocarbon nanohoop systems. Calculations suggest that the organofluorine interactions observed in the crystal structure are indeed critical in the self-assembly and robustness of the CNT mimic systems. This work establishes the self-assembly of carbon nanohoops via weak interactions as an attractive means to generate solid-state materials that mimic carbon nanotubes, importantly with the unparalleled tunability enabled by organic synthesis.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Computational Investigation of Bright Orange-Emitting Benzothiadiazole [10]Cycloparaphenylene.

Conjugated aromatic macrocycles are attractive due to their unique photophysical and optoelectronic properties. In particular, the cyclic radially oriented π-system of cycloparaphenylenes (CPPs) gives rise to photophysical properties unlike any other small molecule or carbon nanomaterial. CPPs have tunable emission, possess large extinction coefficients, wide effective Stokes shifts, and high quantum yields. However, accessing bright CPPs with emissions beyond 500 nm remains difficult. Herein, we present a novel and bright orange-emitting CPP-based fluorophore showing a dramatic 105 nm red-shift in emission and striking 237 nm effective Stokes shift while retaining a large quantum yield of 0.59. We postulate, and experimentally and theoretically support, that the quantum yield remains large due to the lack of intramolecular charge transfer.

Solid-State Order and Charge Mobility in [5]- to [12]Cycloparaphenylenes.

We report a computational study of mesoscale morphology and charge-transport properties of radially π-conjugated cycloparaphenylenes ([ n]CPPs) of various ring sizes ( n = 5-12, where n is the number of repeating phenyl units). These molecules are considered structural constituents of fullerenes and carbon nanotubes. [ n]CPP molecules are nested in a unique fashion in the solid state. Molecular dynamics simulations show that while intramolecular structural stability (order) increases with system size, intermolecular structural stability decreases. Density functional calculations reveal that reorganization energy, an important parameter in charge transfer, decreases as n is increased. Intermolecular charge-transfer electronic couplings in the solid state are relatively weak (due to curved π-conjugation and loose intermolecular contacts) and are on the same order of magnitude (∼10 meV) for each system. Intrinsic charge-carrier mobilities were simulated from kinetic Monte Carlo simulations; hole mobilities increased with system size and scaled as ∼ n4. We predict that disordered [ n]CPPs exhibit hole mobilities as high as 2 cm2/(V·s). Our computations show a strong correlation between reorganization energy and hole mobility (µ ∼ λ-4). Quantum mechanical calculations were performed on cofacially stacked molecular pairs for varying phenyl units and reveal that orbital delocalization is responsible for both decreasing reorganization energies and electronic couplings as n is increased.

A Bottom-Up Approach to Solution-Processed, Atomically Precise Graphitic Cylinders on Graphite.

Extended carbon nanostructures, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), exhibit remarkable properties but are difficult to synthesize uniformly. Herein, we present a new class of carbon nanomaterials constructed via the bottom-up self-assembly of cylindrical, atomically precise small molecules. Guided by supramolecular design principles and circle packing theory, we have designed and synthesized a fluorinated nanohoop that, in the solid state, self-assembles into nanotube-like arrays with channel diameters of precisely 1.63 nm. A mild solution-casting technique is then used to construct vertical "forests" of these arrays on a highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surface through epitaxial growth. Furthermore, we show that a basic property of nanohoops, fluorescence, is readily transferred to the bulk phase, implying that the properties of these materials can be directly altered via precise functionalization of their nanohoop building blocks. The strategy presented is expected to have broader applications in the development of new graphitic nanomaterials with π-rich cavities reminiscent of CNTs.

Nanohoop Rotaxanes from Active Metal Template Syntheses and Their Potential in Sensing Applications.

The unique optoelectronic properties and smooth, rigid pores of macrocycles with radially oriented π systems render them fascinating candidates for the design of novel mechanically interlocked molecules with new properties. Two high-yielding strategies are used to prepare nanohoop [2]rotaxanes, which owing to the π-rich macrocycle are highly emissive. Then, metal coordination, an intrinsic property afforded by the resulting mechanical bond, can lead to molecular shuttling as well as modulate the observed fluorescence in both organic and aqueous conditions. Inspired by these findings, a self-immolative [2]rotaxane was then designed that self-destructs in the presence of an analyte, eliciting a strong fluorescent turn-on response, serving as proof-of-concept for a new type of molecular sensing material. More broadly, this work highlights the conceptual advantages of combining compact π-rich macrocyclic frameworks with mechanical bonds formed via active-template syntheses.

Strain-Promoted Reactivity of Alkyne-Containing Cycloparaphenylenes.

A new class of macrocyclic angle-strained alkynes whose size and reactivity can be precisely tuned by modular organic synthesis is disclosed. Detailed analysis of the size-dependent structural and electronic properties provides evidence for considerable distortion of the alkyne units incorporated into the cycloparaphenylene (CPP)-derived macrocycles. The remarkable increase of the alkyne reactivity with decreasing macrocycle size in [2+2]cycloaddition-retrocyclization was investigated by joint experimental and theoretical studies and the thermodynamic and kinetic parameters that govern this reaction were unraveled. Additionally, even the largest, least strained macrocycle in this series was found to undergo strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC) efficiently under mild conditions, thereby paving the way to the application of alkyne-containing CPPs as fluorescent "clickable" macrocyclic architectures.

2,2'-Bipyridyl-Embedded Cycloparaphenylenes as a General Strategy To Investigate Nanohoop-Based Coordination Complexes.

Because of their unique cyclic architectures, tunable electronic properties, and supramolecular chemistries, cycloparaphenylenes (CPPs) have the potential to act as a new class of ligands for coordination cages, metal-organic frameworks, and small-molecule transition-metal complexes. However, currently there is no general strategy to coordinate the cyclic framework to a variety of metal centers. We report here a general and scalable synthetic strategy to embed 2,2'-bipyridine units into the backbone of CPPs. We use this approach to synthesize a 2,2'-bipyridine-embedded [8]CPP, which we show can successfully coordinate to both Pd(II) and Ru(II) metal centers. The resulting coordination complexes, a Pd(II)-nanohoop dimer and a bis(bipyridyl)ruthenium(II)-functionalized nanohoop, show unique solid-state and photophysical properties. This work provides a proof of concept for a general strategy to use nanohoops and their derivatives as a new class of ligands.

An Operationally Simple and Mild Oxidative Homocoupling of Aryl Boronic Esters To Access Conformationally Constrained Macrocycles.

Constrained macrocyclic scaffolds are recognized as challenging synthetic motifs with few general macrocyclization methods capable of accessing these types of systems. Although palladium catalyzed oxidative homocoupling of aryl boronic acids and esters to biphenyls has been recognized as a common byproduct in Suzuki-Miyaura cross-couplings for decades, this reactivity has not been leveraged for the synthesis of challenging molecules. Here we report an oxidative boronic ester homocoupling reaction as a mild method for the synthesis of strained and conformationally restricted macrocycles. Higher yields and better efficiencies are observed for intramolecular diboronic ester homocouplings when directly compared to the analogous intramolecular Suzuki-Miyaura cross-couplings or reductive Yamamoto homocouplings. Substrates included strained polyphenylene macrocycles, strained cycloalkynes, and a key macrocyclic intermediate toward the synthesis of acerogenin A. Notably, this oxidative homocoupling reaction is performed at room temperature, open to atmosphere, and without the need to rigorously exclude water, thus representing an operationally simple alternative to traditional cross-coupling macrocyclizations. The mechanism of the reaction was investigated indicating that 1-5 nm palladium nanoparticles may serve as the active catalyst.