On-Surface Synthesis and Determination of the Open-Shell Singlet Ground State of Tridecacene.

The character of the electronic structure of acenes has been the subject of longstanding discussion. However, convincing experimental evidence of their open-shell character has so far been missing. Here, we present the on-surface synthesis of tridecacene molecules by thermal annealing of octahydrotridecacene on a Au(111) surface. We characterized the electronic structure of the tridecacene by scanning probe microscopy, which reveals the presence of an inelastic signal at 126 meV. We attribute the inelastic signal to spin excitation from the singlet diradical ground state to the triplet excited state. To rationalize the experimental findings, we carried out many-body ab initio calculations as well as model Hamiltonians to take into account the effect of the metallic substrate. Moreover, we provide a detailed analysis of how the dynamic electron correlation and virtual charge fluctuation between the molecule and metallic surface reduces the singlet-triplet band gap. Thus, this work provides the first experimental confirmation of the magnetic character of tridecacene.

Metal-Catalyzed Intermolecular Hydrofunctionalization of Allenes: Easy Access to Allylic Structures via the Selective Formation of C-N, C-C, and C-O Bonds.

Following a strong regain of interest over the past 20 years in the chemistry of allenes, this "forgotten" family of unsaturated molecules is undergoing a renaissance. In this context, the metal-catalyzed hydrofunctionalization of allenes is nowadays one of the most studied transformations. The latter is of great interest because it opens a way to produce selectively functionalized allylic structures. These motifs are important in synthesis, particularly for the formation of asymmetric centers. Hydrofunctionalization of allenes is also a totally atom economical strategy, avoiding generation of any waste, to produce allylic functionalized structures. Compared to the main pathway to obtain the latter (aka Tsuji-Trost allylic substitution), metal-catalyzed hydrofunctionalization does not require the prefunctionalization of starting material with a leaving group. This review presents a state of the art exploration of all existing transition metal-catalyzed methods allowing the selective intermolecular hydrofunctionalization of allenes with N-H, C-H, and O-H nucleophiles or electrophiles.

Total synthesis of grayanane natural products.

Grayananes are a broad family of diterpenoids found in Ericaceae plants, comprising more than 160 natural products. Most of them exhibit interesting biological activities, often representative of Ericaceae use in traditional medicine. Over the last 50 years, various strategies were described for the total synthesis of these diterpenoids. In this review, we survey the literature for synthetic approaches to access grayanane natural products. We will focus mainly on completed total syntheses, but will also mention unfinished synthetic efforts. This work aims at providing a critical perspective on grayanane synthesis, highlighting the advantages and downsides of each strategy, as well as the challenges remaining to be tackled.

Copper-Catalyzed Hydrocarboxylation of N-Allenyl Derivatives.

The addition of carboxylic acids to allenes was performed with copper catalysis. This hydrocarboxylation reaction, occurring on the terminal carbon of the allenes, is totally regio- and stereoselective. It represents the first copper-catalyzed example of intermolecular C-O bond formation by allene hydrofunctionalization. This ligand-free system is based on the use of catalytic amounts of copper combined with a base (10 mol % of K2CO3).

A comprehensive overview of directing groups applied in metal-catalysed C-H functionalisation chemistry.

The present review is devoted to summarizing the recent advances (2015-2017) in the field of metal-catalysed group-directed C-H functionalisation. In order to clearly showcase the molecular diversity that can now be accessed by means of directed C-H functionalisation, the whole is organized following the directing groups installed on a substrate. Its aim is to be a comprehensive reference work, where a specific directing group can be easily found, together with the transformations which have been carried out with it. Hence, the primary format of this review is schemes accompanied with a concise explanatory text, in which the directing groups are ordered in sections according to their chemical structure. The schemes feature typical substrates used, the products obtained as well as the required reaction conditions. Importantly, each example is commented on with respect to the most important positive features and drawbacks, on aspects such as selectivity, substrate scope, reaction conditions, directing group removal, and greenness. The targeted readership are both experts in the field of C-H functionalisation chemistry (to provide a comprehensive overview of the progress made in the last years) and, even more so, all organic chemists who want to introduce the C-H functionalisation way of thinking for a design of straightforward, efficient and step-economic synthetic routes towards molecules of interest to them. Accordingly, this review should be of particular interest also for scientists from industrial R&D sector. Hence, the overall goal of this review is to promote the application of C-H functionalisation reactions outside the research groups dedicated to method development and establishing it as a valuable reaction archetype in contemporary R&D, comparable to the role cross-coupling reactions play to date.

On surface synthesis of an eleven-ring sulfur-doped nonacene.

Dithienoacenes with a heptacene core, heptaceno[2,3-b:11,12-b']bis[1]benzothiophene, have been synthesized through the combination of solution and surface assisted chemistry. The atomic composition, structural arrangement and electronic properties of the molecules on the Au(111) surface have been deeply explored by non-contact atomic force microscopy (nc-AFM), bond-resolved scanning tunnelling microscopy (BR-STM) and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) corroborated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Our combined experiments reveal modifications induced by sulfur substitution.

On-surface synthesis of a phenylene analogue of nonacene.

Cyclobuta[1,2-b:3,4-b']ditetracene - an analogue of nonacene with a cyclobutadiene unit embedded in the central part has been synthesized by the combination of solution and on-surface chemistry. The atomic structure and electronic properties of the product on Au(111) have been determined by high resolution scanning tunnelling microscopy/spectroscopy corroborated by density functional theory calculations. Structural and magnetic parameters derived from theoretical calculations reveal that π conjugation is dominated by radialene-type contribution, with an admixture of cyclobutadiene-like antiaromaticity.

On-Surface Synthesis and Intermolecular Cycloadditions of Indacenoditetracenes, Antiaromatic Analogues of Undecacene.

The formation of s-indaceno[1,2-b:5,6-b']ditetracene and as-indaceno[2,3-b:6,7-b']ditetracene containing indenofluorene cores from a common precursor has been achieved by a dehydrogenative surface-assisted cyclization on Au(111) and confirmed by bond-resolved non-contact atomic force microscopy. On-surface generated as-indaceno[2,3-b:6,7-b']ditetracenes undergo fusion, which leads to T-shaped adducts by an intermolecular cycloaddition. The same type of cycloaddition, which has no parallel in solution chemistry, has been observed between as-indaceno[2,3-b:6,7-b']ditetracene and pentacene or octacene. These examples of surface-assisted cycloaddition provide perspectives for the rational design and synthesis of molecular nanostructures.

Synergistic Copper/Enamine Catalysis for the Regio-, Stereo-, and Enantioselective Intermolecular α-Addition of Aldehydes to Allenamides.

We herein describe an intermolecular enantioselective α-addition of aldehydes to allenamides using a dual copper/enamine catalytic system. Highly enantioselective addition of aldehydes was obtained thanks to secondary amine catalysts. The process was found to be highly regio-, stereo-, and enantioselective under mild conditions.

Regio- and Stereoselective Copper-Catalyzed Allylation of 1,3-Dicarbonyl Compounds with Terminal Allenes.

Simple ligand-free copper systems were found as efficient catalysts for the addition of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds to N-allenyl derivatives. This highly regio- and stereoselective reaction has been accomplished in the presence of malonates, 1,3-ketoesters, and 1,3-diketones with good to excellent yields under mild conditions. This methodology represents the first allylation of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with allenes catalyzed by copper.

Copper-Catalyzed Hydroamination of Terminal Allenes.

The ligand-free copper-catalyzed hydroamination of allenes has been accomplished in the presence of cyclic secondary amines or anilines derivatives. This novel methodology undergoes the selective generation of (E)-allylamines under smooth conditions with total regio- and stereoselectivity.

Hydroamination of terminal alkynes with secondary amines catalyzed by copper: regioselective access to amines.

A simple and convenient copper-catalyzed hydroamination of arylacetylenes with secondary amines has been performed giving a simple access to aliphatic amines after reduction of the hydroaminated products (E-enamines). Here we described a mild catalytic system utilizing CuCN precatalyst without any additive ligands in a solvent-free system.