Synthesis of a Benzotrisazulene via Trioxobenzotrisazulene.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) containing odd-membered rings (such as pentagons or heptagons) are fascinating synthetic targets. A special case is the introduction of five- and seven-membered rings in form of an azulene unit. Azulene itself is an aromatic compounds known for its deep blue color, which is a result of its internal dipole moment. When azulene is embedded into PAHs it can change the optoelectronic properties of the PAH significantly. Herein, the synthesis and characterization of a PAH containing three azulene units is reported via reduction and elimination of its trioxo derivative.

Dimeric and trimeric catenation of giant chiral [8 + 12] imine cubes driven by weak supramolecular interactions.

Mechanically interlocked structures, such as catenanes and rotaxanes, are fascinating synthetic targets and some are used for molecular switches and machines. Today, the vast majority of catenated structures are built upon macrocycles and only a very few examples of three-dimensional shape-persistent organic cages forming such structures have been reported. However, the catenation in all these cases was based on a thermodynamically favoured π-π-stacking under certain reaction conditions. Here, we show that catenane formation can be induced by adding methoxy or thiomethyl groups to one of the precursors during the synthesis of chiral [8 + 12] imine cubes, giving dimeric and trimeric catenated organic cages. To elucidate the underlying driving forces, we reacted 11 differently 1,4-disubstituted terephthaldehydes with a chiral triamino tribenzotriquinacene under various conditions to study whether monomeric cages or catenated cage dimers are the preferred products. We find that catenation is mainly directed by weak interactions derived from the substituents rather than by π-stacking.

Highly Selective Adsorption of Perfluorinated Greenhouse Gases by Porous Organic Cages.

Anthropogenic greenhouse gases contribute to global warming. Among those gases, perfluorocarbons (PFCs) are thousands to tens of thousands of times more harmful to the environment than comparable amounts of carbon dioxide. To date, materials that selectively adsorb perfluorocarbons in favor of other less harmful gases have not been reported. Here, a series of porous organic cage compounds with alkyl-, fluoroalkyl-, and partially fluorinated alkyl groups is presented. Their isomorphic crystalline states allow the study of the structure-property relationship between the degree of fluorination of the alkyl chains and the gas sorption properties for PFCs and their selective uptakes in comparison to other, nonfluorinated gases. By this approach, one compound having superior selectivities of PFCs versus N2 or CO2 under ambient conditions is identified.

[2+3] Amide Cages by Oxidation of [2+3] Imine Cages - Revisiting Molecular Hosts for Highly Efficient Nitrate Binding.

The pollution of groundwater with nitrate is a serious issue because nitrate can cause several diseases such as methemoglobinemia or cancer. Therefore, selective removal of nitrate by efficient binding to supramolecular hosts is highly desired. Here we describe how to make [2+3] amide cages in very high to quantitative yields by applying an optimized Pinnick oxidation protocol for the conversion of corresponding imine cages. By NMR titration experiments of the eight different [2+3] amide cages with nitrate, chloride and hydrogen sulfate we identified one cage with an unprecedented high selectivity towards nitrate binding vs. chloride (S=705) or hydrogensulfate (S>13500) in CD2 Cl2 /CD3 CN (1 : 3). NMR experiments as well as single-crystal structure comparison of host-guest complexes give insight into structure-property-relationships.

Synthesis and Optoelectronic Properties of a Quinoxalino-Phenanthrophenazine (QPP) Extended Tribenzotriquinacene (TBTQ).

A six-step synthesis towards a tribenzotriquinacene (TBTQ) bearing three quinoxalinophenanthrophenazine (QPP) units is presented. The optoelectronic properties are investigated and the effect of the three-dimensional arrangement of the individual QPP planes is examined using optical spectroscopy, electrochemical analysis and quantum-chemical calculations.

An Isosteric Triaza Analogue of a Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Monkey Saddle.

Since a few years, the interest in negatively-curved fused polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has significantly increased. Recently, the first chiral negatively-curved PAH with the topology of a monkey saddle was introduced. Herein the synthesis of its triaza congener is reported. The influence of this CH↔N exchange on photophysical and electrochemical properties is studied as well as the isomerization process of the enantiomers. The aza analogue has a significantly higher inversion barrier, which makes it easier to handle at room temperature. All experimental results are underpinned by theoretical DFT calculations.

2,7,11,16-Tetra-tert-Butyl Tetraindenopyrene Revisited by an "Inverse" Synthetic Approach.

A new synthetic route to tetraindenopyrene (TIP)-a bowl-shaped cut-out structure of C70 -is reported. The key step in this approach is a fourfold palladium-catalyzed C-H activation that increases the yield more than 50 times in comparison to the approach originally described by Scott and co-workers. Besides examination of its optoelectronic properties and study of its aggregation in solution, TIP was also re-investigated by dispersion-corrected DFT methods, which showed that dispersion interactions significantly increase the bowl-to-bowl inversion barrier. Furthermore, TIP was used as a semiconductor in p-channel thin-film transistors (TFTs).

Host-Guest Chemistry of Truncated Tetrahedral Imine Cages with Ammonium Ions.

Three shape-persistent [4+4] imine cages with truncated tetrahedral geometry with different window sizes were studied as hosts for the encapsulation of tetra-n-alkylammonium salts of various bulkiness. In various solvents the cages behave differently. For instance, in dichloromethane the cage with smallest window size takes up NEt4+ but not NMe4+, which is in contrast to the two cages with larger windows hosting both ions. To find out the reason for this, kinetic experiments were carried out to determine the velocity of uptake but also to deduce the activation barriers for these processes. To support the experimental results, calculations for the guest uptakes have been performed by molecular mechanics' simulations. Finally, the complexation of pharmaceutical interested compounds, such as acetylcholine, muscarine or denatonium have been determined by NMR experiments.

A Chiral Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Monkey Saddle.

A contorted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) in the shape of a monkey saddle has been synthesized in three steps from a readily available truxene precursor. The monkey saddle PAH is consisting of three five-, seven six-, and three eight-membered rings and has been unambiguously characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Owing to the three biaryl axes the monkey saddle PAH is inherently chiral. The inversion of the two enantiomeric structures into each other preferably occurs through a twisting of peripheral rings rather than by a fully planar intermediate, as has been calculated by DFT methods. Enantiomers were separated by chiral HPLC and inversion barriers determined by variable temperature circular dichroism spectroscopy, supporting the twisting mechanism.

Functionalized Contorted Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons by a One-Step Cyclopentannulation and Regioselective Triflyloxylation.

The oxidative cyclodehydrogenation (often named the Scholl reaction) is still a powerful synthetic tool to construct even larger polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by multiple biaryl bond formations without the necessity of prior installation of reacting functional groups. Scholl-type reactions are usually very selective although the resulting products bear sometimes some surprises, such as the formation of five-membered instead of six-membered rings or the unexpected migration of aryl moieties. There are a few examples, where chlorinated byproducts were found when FeCl3 was used as reagent. To our knowledge, the direct functionalization of PAHs during Scholl-type cyclization by triflyloxylation has not been observed. Herein we describe the synthesis of functionalized PAHs by the formation of five-membered rings and a regioselective triflyloxylation in one step. The triflyloxylated PAHs can be used as reactants for further transformation to even larger contorted PAHs.

K-Region-Extended [c]-Heteroannulated Pyrenes.

Extended fused aromatic compounds are promising materials for organic electronics. Among them, structures with five-membered annulated rings differ from those consisting only of six-membered carbocyclic rings. To date, fusion of five-membered rings has been realized mainly via the [b]-edge, and systems fused via the [c]-edge are of low stability. Whereas linearly double [b]-fused systems are stable, analogous [c]-fused systems have not been described to date. Comparable to the stabilization of longer acenes by peri-fusion, herein the synthesis of doubly [c]-annulated systems stabilized by double peri-fusion is described. The compounds were analyzed by X-ray crystallography, photophysical methods, and DFT calculations to gain deeper insight into the nature of conjugation in these new systems.