Development of Donor-π-Acceptor-Type Fluorinated Tolanes as Compact Condensed Phase Luminophores and Applications in Photoluminescent Liquid-Crystalline Molecules

Fluorinated tolanes, produced by introducing fluorine atoms into one of the aromatic rings of tolane, emitted almost no fluorescence in a solution state, but the fluorescence intensity increased dramatically in the crystalline state because of intermolecular H⋅⋅⋅F hydrogen bonds. The photoluminescent (PL) colors depend on the molecular orbitals, dipole moments, and molecular aggregated structures can be varied by controlling terminal substituents along the major molecular axis. The introduction of a long alkoxy or semifluoroalkoxy unit as a flexible chain into the terminal positions along the major molecular axis induced the formation of a liquid-crystalline (LC) phase; fluorinated tolanes act both as luminophores and as mesogens, leading to the molecular design of new photoluminescent LC molecules (PLLCs). The results also indicated that a fluorinated tolane dimer, which consists of two fluorinated tolanes linked by a flexible alkylene spacer, also becomes a novel PLLC.     

Synthesis and Photophysical Properties of a Series of Dimeric Indium Quinolinates

A novel class of quinolinol-based dimeric indium complexes (1–6) was synthesized and characterized using ¹H and ¹³C(¹H) NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. Compounds 1–6 exhibited typical low-energy absorption bands assignable to quinolinol-centered π–π* charge transfer (CT) transition. The emission spectra of 1–6 exhibited slight bathochromic shifts with increasing solvent polarity (p-xylene < tetrahydrofuran (THF) < dichloromethane (DCM)). The emission bands also showed a gradual redshift, with an increase in the electron-donating effect of substituents at the C5 position of the quinoline groups. The absolute emission quantum yields (Φ_PL) of compounds 1 (11.2% in THF and 17.2% in film) and 4 (17.8% in THF and 36.2% in film) with methyl substituents at the C5 position of the quinoline moieties were higher than those of the indium complexes with other substituents.     

Solid-State Structures and Photoluminescence of Lamellar Architectures of Cu(I) and Ag(I) Paddlewheel Clusters with Hydrogen-Bonded Polar Guests

Two hexanuclear paddlewheel-like clusters appending six carboxylic-acid pendants have been isolated with the inclusion of polar solvent guests: [Cu₆(Hmna)₆]·7DMF (1·7DMF) and [Ag₆(Hmna)₆]·8DMSO (2·8DMSO), where H₂mna = 2-mercaptonicotininc acid, DMF = N,N’-dimethylformamide, and DMSO = dimethyl sulfoxide. The solvated clusters, together with their fully desolvated forms 1 and 2, have been characterized by FTIR, UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, TG-DTA analysis, and DFT calculations. Crystal structures of two solvated clusters 1·7DMF and 2·8DMSO have been unambiguously determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Six carboxylic groups appended on the clusters trap solvent guests, DMF or DMSO, through H-bonds. As a result, alternately stacked lamellar architectures comprising of a paddlewheel cluster layer and H-bonded solvent layer are formed. Upon UV illumination (λ_ex = 365 nm), the solvated hexasilver(I) cluster 2·8DMSO gives intense greenish-yellow photoluminescence in the solid state (λ_PL = 545 nm, Φ_PL = 0.17 at 298 K), whereas the solvated hexacopper(I) cluster 1·7DMF displays PL in the near-IR region (λ_PL = 765 nm, Φ_PL = 0.38 at 298 K). Upon complete desolvation, a substantial bleach in the PL intensity (Φ_PL < 0.01) is observed. The desorption–sorption response was studied by the solid-state PL spectroscopy. Non-covalent interactions in the crystal including intermolecular H-bonds, CH⋯π interactions, and π⋯π stack were found to play decisive roles in the creation of the lamellar architectures, small-molecule trap-and-release behavior, and guest-induced luminescence enhancement.     

Synthesis and characterisation of benzoxazole-based liquid crystals possessing 3,5-difluorophenyl unit

Series of fluorinated compounds, 2-(3′,5′-difluoro-4′-alkoxybiphenyl-4-yl)-benzoxazole derivatives (nFBx), were prepared and characterised. Their phase transition behaviour was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and polarising optical microscopy. In the case of carbon atoms in the alkoxy chain between 4 and 10, they exhibited enantiotropic mesophases with the mesophase ranges of 12–119°C and 23–152°C on heating and cooling for compounds bearing different substituents (H, CH₃, Cl, and NO₂). With the exception of nitro-substituted compounds, the nFBx series displayed intense photoluminescence emission at 380–385 nm in methylene chloride solution when they were excited at their absorption maxima. Compared to non-fluorinated analogues, fluorinated compounds nFBx (apart from nitro-substituted compounds) exhibited much lower melting points, but comparable or slightly narrower mesophase ranges during both heating and cooling, which were attributed to the disruption of the side-to-side intermolecular packing caused by the two lateral fluoro substituents.     

Effect of surface fluorination on the electrochemical behavior of petroleum cokes for lithium ion battery

Surface structure change and electrochemical behavior of fluorinated petroleum coke samples (petroleum cokes: petroleum coke and those heat-treated at 1860 °C, 2300 °C and 2800 °C, abbreviated to PC, PC1860, PC2300 and PC2800, respectively) have been investigated. Surface oxygen of petroleum coke was decreased by the fluorination using elemental fluorine. Raman and EPR spectroscopies revealed that surface fluorination increased surface disorder and lattice defects. ¹⁹F NMR spectrum suggests that distribution of fluorine atoms in PC fluorinated 300 °C was similar to that in graphite fluoride with covalent CF bonds. Surface areas of fluorinated petroleum cokes were nearly the same as those of non-fluorinated ones or only slightly increased by fluorination, except PC fluorinated at 300 °C. It is noted that first coulombic efficiencies of PC2300 and PC2800 were highly increased to 80-84% by the fluorination at 300 °C. These values of 80-84% were 12-18% higher than those of non-fluorinated PC2300 and PC2800.     

New fluorinated aromatic poly(ether-amide)s derived from 2,2′-bis(3,4,5-trifluorophenyl)-4,4′-diaminodiphenyl ether and various dicarboxylic acids

A new class of highly fluorinated aromatic poly(ether-amide)s was prepared through triphenyl phosphite-activated polycondensation of 2,2′-bis(3,4,5-trifluorophenyl)-4,4′-diaminodiphenyl ether (FPAPE) and four dicarboxylic acid comonomers. All the resulting polymers were thoroughly characterized by FT-IR, UV, and NMR spectroscopic methods. The effects of the fluorine atoms directly linked to the lateral phenyl rings as well as fluoro-containing phenyl groups attached to the macromolecular chains on some properties of the polymers were investigated by comparing with poly(ether-amide)s prepared from 4,4′-oxydianiline (4,4′-ODA) and 2,2′-diphenyl-4,4′-diaminodiphenyl ether (PAPE). The FPAPE-derived polymers exhibited excellent solubility in a variety of organic solvents. Results obtained from X-ray studies showed that the presence of the bulky fluoro-containing phenyl groups attached to the chains disrupts their structural order in a great amount, and leads to a decrease in crystallinity extent of the macromolecules. Furthermore, the highly fluorinated polymeric chains showed a significant enhancement in organo-solubility, heat-stability and T_g values when compared to their non-fluorinated counterparts.     

Effects of fluorine substituent on properties of cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes with a 2,2′-bipyridine ancillary ligand

Cationic cyclometalated Ir(III) complexes (Ir1-Ir5) with fluorine-substituted 2-phenylpyridine (ppy) derivatives as C^N cyclometalating ligands and 2,2′-bipyridine (bpy) as the ancillary ligand, have been synthesized and fully characterized. The influences of the number and the position of fluorine atoms at the cyclometalating ligands on the photophysical, electrochemical and oxygen sensing properties of the Ir(III) complexes have been investigated systematically. The introduction of fluorine on the C^N cyclometalating ligands of the complexes results in blue-shifts of the maximum emission wavelengths, and increases in the photoluminescence quantum yields (Φ_PL), phosphorescence lifetimes and energy gaps, compared to the non-fluorinated [Ir(ppy)₂(bpy)]⁺PF₆^? (Ir0). Among them, 2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)pyridine-derived Ir4 shows the maximum blue-shift (514 nm vs. 575 nm for Ir0) and the highest Φ_PL (50.8% vs. 6.5% for Ir0). The complex Ir3 with 2-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-fluoropyridine as C^N ligand exhibits the highest oxygen sensitivity and excellent operational stability in 10 cycles within 4000 s.     

Synthesis and properties of aramids and polyarylates having perfluoro-substituents on the benzene ring

A new series of 16 aramids and 16 polyarylates having perfluoro-substituents on the benzene ring was prepared by a low temperature solution or an interfacial polycondensation. The effects of fluorine substituents on the structure and properties of polymers were examined. Fluorinated aramids exhibited higher crystallinity, while fluorinated polyarylates show lower crystallinity. The melting point (T_m) of aramids decreased with fluorine substitution, whereas T_m of polyarylates from fluorinated aromatic diols was higher than that of those from unfluorinated ones. The temperature of 10% weight loss and the residue at 900°C decreased with fluorine substitution except for the aramids from fluorinated diamines. Solubility and contact angle also increased with fluorine substitution. Some polyarylates were found to exhibit an optical anisotropy.     

Actinide arene-metalates: ion pairing effects on the electronic structure of unsupported uranium–arenide sandwich complexes

Addition of [UI₂(THF)₃(μ-OMe)]₂·THF (2·THF) to THF solutions containing 6 equiv. of K[C₁₄H₁₀] generates the heteroleptic dimeric complexes [K(18-crown-6)(THF)₂]₂[U(η⁶-C₁₄H₁₀)(η⁴-C₁₄H₁₀)(μ-OMe)]₂·4THF (118C6·4THF) and {[K(THF)₃][U(η⁶-C₁₄H₁₀)(η⁴-C₁₄H₁₀)(μ-OMe)]}₂ (1THF) upon crystallization of the products in THF in the presence or absence of 18-crown-6, respectively. Both 118C6·4THF and 1THF are thermally stable in the solid-state at room temperature; however, after crystallization, they become insoluble in THF or DME solutions and instead gradually decompose upon standing. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals 118C6·4THF and 1THF to be structurally similar, possessing uranium centres sandwiched between bent anthracenide ligands of mixed tetrahapto and hexahapto ligation modes. Yet, the two complexes are distinguished by the close contact potassium-arenide ion pairing that is seen in 1THF but absent in 118C6·4THF, which is observed to have a significant effect on the electronic characteristics of the two complexes. Structural analysis, SQUID magnetometry data, XANES spectral characterization, and computational analyses are generally consistent with U(iv) formal assignments for the metal centres in both 118C6·4THF and 1THF, though noticeable differences are detected between the two species. For instance, the effective magnetic moment of 1THF (3.74 μ_B) is significantly lower than that of 118C6·4THF (4.40 μ_B) at 300 K. Furthermore, the XANES data shows the U L_III-edge absorption energy for 1THF to be 0.9 eV higher than that of 118C6·4THF, suggestive of more oxidized metal centres in the former. Of note, CASSCF calculations on the model complex {[U(η⁶-C₁₄H₁₀)(η⁴-C₁₄H₁₀)(μ-OMe)]₂}²⁻ (1*) shows highly polarized uranium–arenide interactions defined by π-type bonds where the metal contributions are primarily comprised by the 6d-orbitals (7.3 ± 0.6%) with minor participation from the 5f-orbitals (1.5 ± 0.5%). These unique complexes provide new insights into actinide–arenide bonding interactions and show the sensitivity of the electronic structures of the uranium atoms to coordination sphere effects.

Use of Chatt metal-arene protocols with uranium leads to the synthesis of the first well-characterized, unsupported actinide–arenide sandwich complexes. The electronic structures of the actinide centres show a key sensitivity to ion pairing effects.     

Effect of gem-Difluorination on the Key Physicochemical Properties Relevant to Medicinal Chemistry: The Case of Functionalized Cycloalkanes

Physico-chemical properties important to drug discovery (pK_a, LogP, and aqueous solubility), as well as metabolic stability, were studied for a series of functionalized gem-difluorinated cycloalkanes and compared to those of non-fluorinated and acyclic counterparts to evaluate the impact of the fluorination. It was found that the influence of the CF₂ moiety on the acidity/basicity of the corresponding carboxylic acids and amines was defined by inductive the effect of the fluorine atoms and was nearly the same for acyclic and cyclic aliphatic compounds. Lipophilicity and aqueous solubility followed more complex trends and were affected by the position of the fluorine atoms, ring size, and even the nature of the functional group present; also, significant differences were found for the acyclic and cyclic series. Also, gem-difluorination either did not affect or slightly improved the metabolic stability of the corresponding model derivatives. The presented results can be used as a guide for rational drug design employing fluorine and establish the first chapter in a catalog of the key in vitro properties of fluorinated cycloalkanes.     

Planar tetracoordinate fluorine atoms

Among the list of planar tetracoordinate atoms, fluorine is missing. So far, there are no theoretical or experimental reports suggesting their existence. Herein, we introduce the first six combinations (FIn₄⁺, FTl₄⁺, FGaIn₃⁺, FIn₂Tl₂⁺, FIn₃Tl⁺, and FInTl₃⁺) whose global minima contain a planar tetracoordinate fluorine. The bonding analyses indicate that the interactions between the fluorine and the peripheral atoms are significantly electrostatic, which is also reflected in the electronic delocalization. As opposed to other planar tetracoordinate systems with carbon, nitrogen, or oxygen atoms, the fluorine in the ptFs does not act as a σ-acceptor, restraining any back-donation. On the other hand, σ-electrons show a diatropic response, which would characterize these clusters as σ-aromatic.

The first global minima with a planar tetracoordinate fluorine atom are introduced. Their stabilization depends mainly on subtle ionic interactions and an adequate cavity.     

Highly Emissive Boron Ketoiminate Derivatives as a New Class of Aggregation‐Induced Emission Fluorophores

A series of boron ketoiminate derivatives that exhibited clear aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) characteristics (in THF: Φ_PL≤0.01; in the solid state: Φ_PL=0.30–0.76) were prepared by the reactions of 1,3‐enaminoketone derivatives with boron trifluoride–diethyl etherate. The structures and optical properties were investigated by UV‐visible spectroscopy, photoluminescent (PL) spectroscopy, and X‐ray single‐crystal measurements. These results indicate that the AIE characteristics were derived from molecular motions of the boron‐chelating rings with a boron? nitrogen (B? N) bond. Furthermore, the optical properties were controllable by steric hindrance of the substituted groups on the nitrogen atom.     

Effect of fluorinated groups on photooxidative stability of polymeric protectives applied on marble

Some new protective copolymers and a commercial one have been tested on Candoglia marble, a very low porosity stone. Two of the polymers contained a partially fluorinated methacrylic monomer, 2,2,2 trifluoro ethyl methacrylate (TFEMA), in combination with either an acrylic, methyl acrylate (MA) or a vinyl ether, n-butyl vinyl ether (n-BVE) unit. Two copolymers, ethyl methacrylate/n-butyl vinyl ether and ethyl methacrylate (EMA)/methyl acrylate (Paraloid B72), were non-fluorinated and similar in compositions and molar ratio. The aim of the work is to test the copolymers and compare the performances of fluorinated new polymers with the non fluorinated one and with the largely used commercial product. The results obtained demonstrate that the introduction, even in limited amounts, of fluorine atoms in the side ester groups of methacrylic type polymers really improves their protective effect and the durability of the stone treatments. The best results were obtained with the copolymer TFEM/MA which is the fluorinated homologous of Paraloid B72.     

Synthesis and characterization of novel fluorinated polyimides derived from 1,1′-bis(4-aminophenyl)-1-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)-2,2,2-trifluoroethane and aromatic dianhydrides

A novel fluorinated aromatic diamine 1,1′-bis(4-aminophenyl)-1-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)-2,2,2-trifluoroethane (6FDAM) was synthesized in a simple procedure, which was then employed to prepare a series of fluorinated polyimides with commercial aromatic dianhydrides, such as pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA), 2,2-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane (6FDA), 3,3′,4,4′-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA) and 4,4′-oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA). The polyimides exhibited good solubility in strong dipolar solvents such as NMP, DMAc, DMF and m-cresol as well as some of low boiling point organic solvents of THF and CHCl₃, etc. Experimental results indicated the polyimides possessed low moisture adsorptions of 0.42-0.95%, low dielectric constant of 2.71-2.95 at 1 MHz, high dielectric strength of 92.0-122.6 kV/mm and good optical transparency with cutoff wavelengths of UV-vis at 330-375 nm. The polyimides also exhibited good mechanical properties as well as excellent thermal and thermo-oxidative stability. The fluorinated polyimides possessed better solubility, lower dielectric constant and water adsorption as well as higher optical transparency than the representative non-fluorinated polyimide derived from PMDA and 4,4′-oxydianiline (ODA).     

Nematic compounds and mixtures with high negative dielectric anisotropy

Syntheses, mesogenic and dielectric properties of three-ring alkylcyclohexyl, alkoxy and alkylphenyl benzoates substituted with four fluorine atoms or with two fluorine atoms and simultaneously a cyano group or two cyano groups are described. Their properties are compared with analogous three-ring phenyl tolanes. Conformation analysis and the calculation of dipole moments with the quantum chemistry method are performed to explain the experimental results. Several four fluorine-substituted two-ring tolanes and biphenyls are also prepared, which are used as a solvent decreasing viscosity, melting point and clearing point of the formulated mixtures. Examples of mixtures prepared from the esters and tolanes with high dielectric anisotropy are given. Curiosity is observed that 4?-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-4-pentyloxy-2,2?,3,3?-tetrafluorotolane is not the mesogenic compound, while analogous ester 4?-ethoxy-2,3-difluorobiphenyl-4-yl 2,3-difluoro-4-pentyloxybenzoate exhibits a broad temperature range of the nematic phase.     

Large blue-shift in the optical spectra of fluorinated polyphenylenevinylenes. A combined theoretical and experimental study

Modifications of the optical properties of poly[2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] induced by fluorination of the vinylene units are investigated by means of time dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations and spectroscopic measurements in solution. The energy of the main absorption peak is blue-shifted by more than 0.8 eV in the fluorinated polymers. TD-DFT excitation energies for non-fluorinated and fluorinated oligomer structures of increasing number of monomers, employing fully relaxed geometries, are compared to the experimental absorption energies of the polymers. We found that the measured large blue-shift induced by the fluorination of the vinylene units is not caused by the electron-withdrawing effect of the fluorine substituents but it is related to a steric effect. The inter-monomer torsional angle of the fluorinated structures increases above 50 degrees , while in the non-fluorinated systems it is below 20 degrees . Further insight into the origin of the large blue-shift of the excitation energies is gained by a detailed analysis of the torsional potentials of non-fluorinated and fluorinated dihydroxystilbene. While for planar geometries the energy gap increases due to fluorination, it decreases for highly distorted geometries. In addition, we found that the torsional potential of dihydroxystilbene is rather flat, meaning that different isomers might, e.g., in the solid state, coexist.     

19F DOSY NMR analysis for spin systems with nJFF couplings

NMR is a powerful method for identification and quantification of drug components and contaminations. These problems present themselves as mixtures, and here, one of the most powerful tools is DOSY. DOSY works best when there is no spectral overlap between components, so drugs containing fluorine substituents are well‐suited for DOSY analysis as ¹⁹F spectra are typically very sparse. Here, we demonstrate the use of a modified ¹⁹F DOSY experiment (on the basis of the Oneshot sequences) for various fluorinated benzenes. For compounds with significant ⁿJ_FF coupling constants, as is common, the undesirable J‐modulation can be efficiently suppressed using the Oneshot45 pulse sequence. This investigation highlights ¹⁹F DOSY as a valuable and robust method for analysis of molecular systems containing fluorine atoms even where there are large fluorine–fluorine couplings. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fluorinated photosensitizers: synthesis, photophysical, electrochemical, intracellular localization, in vitro photosensitizing efficacy and determination of tumor-uptake by F in vivo NMR spectroscopy

For in vivo NMR studies, starting from pyrroles, a series of fluorinated porphyrins were synthesized by following the MacDonald reaction conditions. Upon reaction with osmium tetroxide, a fluorinated porphyrin containing four trifluoromethyl groups (12 fluorine units) was converted into the related chlorin and bacteriochlorin which exhibited long-wavelength absorptions at 652 and 720 nm, respectively. All compounds produced good singlet oxygen production efficiency. A comparative study of nine porphyrins with and without fluorine substituents indicated no adverse effects of the presence of fluorinated groups in the photophysical properties of the porphyrins, chlorins or bacteriochlorins. The first and second one-electron reduction potentials (vs SCE) of the investigated compounds range between −1.29 and −1.49 V and between −1.66 and −1.84 V in PhCN containing 0.1 M TBAP. UV-visible spectroelectrochemical data suggested the formation of π-anion and π-cation radicals upon the first reduction and first oxidation. The in vivo ¹⁹F MR study of a representative fluorine labeled compound with twelve equivalent fluorines confirmed the presence of the fluorine labeled sensitizer in mouse (C3H/HeJ) implanted with RIF tumors on mouse foot dorsum by inoculating 2×10⁵ cells (the studies were repeated on four tumored mice to confirm the feasibility and reproducibility). All fluorinated compounds were found to be quite effective in vitro. In a comparative intracellular localization study with Rhodamine-123 in RIF tumor cells, the most soluble porphyrin containing two propionic ester side chains was found to localize in mitochondria as well as the related chlorin and bacteriochlorin.     

Rearrangement routes to selectively fluorinated compounds

Fluoroallylic alcohols are easy to synthesise by a variety of routes using one or two carbon fluorinated building blocks. Sigmatropic rearrangement then transforms these intermediates into species in which the fluorine atom (or atoms) is borne on an sp³-hybridised carbon. Alternatively, allylic alcohols can be transformed into fluorinated vinyl ether derivatives; rearrangement then affords products in which the fluorine atoms occupy a different and complementary location with respect to a carbonyl function.     

Plasma fluorination of organosilicon polymeric films for gas separation applications

SF₆ plasma treatment using an RF discharge was carried out for the surface fluorination of polytrimethylsilylpropyne (PTMSP) and polyvinyltrimethylsilane (PVTMS) films. Gas permeation of the fluorinated and untreated films for O₂, N₂, He, H₂, CH₄ and CO₂ gases has been measured. Plasma fluorination increases the ideal selectivities of the PTMSP films decreasing their permeances for all the gases measured, and does not affect the permeances and selectivities of the PVTMS films. The composition and chemical structure of the fluorinated polymer surface were investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ¹⁹F nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Within the range of the treatment parameters studied, permselectivity and surface composition of the fluorinated PTMSP films depend slightly on the treatment time and the density of the fluorine atom flux on the modified surface. The trimethylsilyl substituents are detached and carbon atoms are partially fluorinated during modification. The structure of the fluorinated layer contains crosslinks and unsaturated bonds.