Combining Traceless Directing Groups with Hybridization Control of Radical Reactivity: From Skipped Enynes to Defect-Free Hexagonal Frameworks.

This work discloses the first general solution for converting oligoalkynes into polyaromatic polycyclic systems free of pentagonal defects. The efficiency and selectivity of this cascade originate from the combination of the Bu3 Sn-mediated TDG (traceless directing group) cascade transformations of skipped alkynes where the reactivity of the key radical precursor is tempered by hybridization effects. This approach ensures that the final structure consists of only six-membered rings. Practical implementation of this strategy is readily accomplished by incorporation of a suitably-substituted alkene as a final unit in the domino transformation. This strategy opens a new avenue for the controlled preparation of polyaromatic ribbons. The resulting ester functionality can be used for an additional Friedel-Crafts ring closure which effectively anneals two extra cycles with distinct electronic features to the extended aromatic system formed by the radical cascade.

Fused Catechol Ethers from Gold(I)-Catalyzed Intramolecular Reaction of Propargyl Ethers with Acetals.

Selective gold(I)-catalyzed rearrangement of aromatic methoxypropynyl acetals leads to fused catechol ethers (1,2-dialkoxynapthalenes) in excellent yields. Furthermore, this process extends to the analogous heterocyclic and aliphatic substrates. Alkyne activation triggers nucleophilic addition of the acetal oxygen that leads to an equilibrating mixture of oxonium ions of similar stability. This mixture is "kinetically self-sorted" via a highly exothermic cyclization. Selective formation of 1,2-dialkoxy naphthalenes originates from chemoselective aromatization of the cyclic intermediate via 1,4-elimination of methanol.

Synthesis of Functionalized Phenanthrenes via Regioselective Oxidative Radical Cyclization.

The majority of Sn-mediated cyclizations are reductive and, thus, cannot give a fully conjugated product. This is a limitation in the application of Sn-mediated radical cascades for the preparation of fully conjugated molecules. In this work, we report an oxidatively terminated Bu3Sn-mediated cyclization of an alkyne where AIBN, the commonly used initiator, takes on a new function as an oxidative agent. Sn-mediated radical transformation of biphenyl aryl acetylenes into functionalized phenanthrenyl stannanes can be initiated via two potentially equilibrating vinyl radicals, one of which can be trapped by the fast 6-endoclosure at the biphenyl moiety in good to excellent yields. The efficient preparation of Sn-substituted phenanthrenes opens access to convenient building blocks for the construction of larger polyaromatics.

Traceless directing groups in radical cascades: from oligoalkynes to fused helicenes without tethered initiators.

We report the first example of a traceless directing group in a radical cascade. The chemo- and regioselectivity of the initial attack in skipped oligoalkynes is controlled by propargyl OR moiety. Radical translocations lead to the boomerang return of the radical center to the site of initial attack where it assists the elimination of the directing functionality via ß-scission in the last step of the cascade. The Bu3Sn moiety continues further via facile reactions with electrophiles as well as Stille and Suzuki cross-coupling reactions. This selective radical transformation opens a new approach for the controlled transformation of skipped oligoalkynes into polycyclic ribbons of tunable dimensions.

Exo-dig radical cascades of skipped enediynes: building a naphthalene moiety within a polycyclic framework.

Cascade radical transformations of acyclic precursors open efficient, convenient and atom-economical access to functionalized compounds of increased structural complexity. This report describes a selective sequence of 5-exo-dig and 6-exo-dig cyclizations followed by attack at a pendant aromatic moiety and rearomatization.

Gold-catalyzed synthesis of substituted 2-aminofurans via formal [4+1]-cycloadditions on 3-en-1-ynamides.

Gold-catalyzed formal [4+1]-cycloadditions between 3-en-1-ynamides 1 and 8-methylquinoline oxide are reported. The success of this reaction relies on a hypothetic oxa-Nazarov cyclization on gold-stabilized allylic cations. Preliminary results on a new 1,2-difunctionalization of 3-en-1-ynamide are also reported.

Ag(I)-catalyzed carbon-carbon bond formation between a ketone and an allylic C-H bond.

We report a silver-catalyzed cyclization of 1-(2,2-dimethyl-cyclopropyl)methyl ketones to give 1,2,4-trisubstituted benzenes. These reactions comprise an initial cyclopropane cleavage, followed by an aromatization of the resulting 4-en-1-one intermediate. The latter represents an unusual silver-catalyzed addition of a ketone to an allylic C-H bond via a non-carbonyl ene reaction.

Efficient syntheses of alpha-pyridones and 3(2H)-isoquinolones through ruthenium-catalyzed cycloisomerization of 3-en-5-ynyl and o-alkynylphenyl nitrones.

We report a new catalytic synthesis of alpha-pyridones and 3(2H)-isoquinolones from readily available 3-en-5-ynyl nitrones and o-alkynylphenyl nitrones; the reaction mechanism is proposed to involve iminyl ketene species through an oxygen transfer process.

A convenient synthesis of tetrabenzo[de,hi,mn,qr]naphthacene from readily available 1,2-di(phenanthren-4-yl)ethyne.

We report here a convenient synthesis of tetrabenzo[de,hi,mn,qr]naphthacenes from 1,2-di(phenanthren-4-yl)ethynes through initial Brønsted acid-catalyzed hydroarylation, followed by FeCl(3)-oxidative coupling reactions. This new method is applicable to tetrabenzo[de,hi,mn,qr]naphthacenes bearing various alkyl substituents.

Shear-induced long-range uniaxial assembly of polyaromatic monolayers at molecular resolution.

The control of spatial arrangements of molecular building blocks on surfaces opens the foundational step of the bottom-up approach toward future nanotechnologies. Contemporarily, the domain size of monolayers exhibiting crystallinity falls in the submicrometer scale. Developed herein is a method that allows the alignment of polyaromatics with one-single domain for as long as 7 mm. Even more exciting is the fact that the method is applicable to every laboratory and costs practically nothing. The monolayers are prepared simply by placing a piece of folded lens paper against the substrate and the deposition solution containing the compound of interest. The preparation scheme is similar to the Couette flow where the laminar flow takes place between two concentric walls, one of which rotates and creates viscous drag proven useful to align macromolecules. The method can induce an edge-on orientation for 3,6,11,14-tetradodecyloxydibenzo[g,p]chrysene (DBC-OC12), 3,6,12,15-tetrakis(dodecyloxy)tetrabenz[a,c,h,j]anthracene (TBA-OC12), and hexakis(4-dodecyl)-peri-hexabenzocoronene (HBC-C12) and unsubstituted coronene which would otherwise adopt the face-on arrangement on graphite. This finding will be useful to the research and industry that demands high quality alignment of polyaromatics such as OTFTs, optical polarizers, and nanodevices associated with molecular self-assembly.