2,9-Diazadibenzoperylene and 2,9-Dimethyldibenzoperylene-1,3,8,10-tetratriflates: Key to Functionalized 2,9-Diazaperopyrenes

The synthesis of 2,9-diaza-1,3,8,10-tetratriflato-dibenzoperylene (DDP 3 a ) and corresponding 2,9-dimethyl-1,3,8,10-tetratriflato-dibenzoperylene (DBP 3 b ) has been developed at multigram scale via reduction of one of the industrially most important high-performance dyes, perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide (PTCDI), and of the corresponding dihydroxy peropyrenequinone precursor. The focus of this paper is on the reactivity pattern of 3 a as key intermediate towards highly functionalized 2,9-diazadibenzopyrelenes (DDPs) obtained via catalytic substitution of four triflate by aryl, heteroaryl, alkynyl, aminyl, and O-phosphanyl substituents. The influence of electron-donating substituents (OSiMe₃, OPt-Bu₂, N-piperidinyl), electron-withdrawing (OTf, 3,5-bis-trifluoromethyl-phenyl), and of electron-rich π-conjugated (2-thienyl, 4-tert-butylphenyl, trimethylsilyl-ethynyl) substituents on optoelectronic and structural properties of these functionalized DDPs has been investigated via XRD analyses, UV/Vis, PL spectroscopy, and by electroanalytical CV. These results were correlated to results of DFT and TD-DFT calculations. Thus, functionalized DPPs with easily tunable HOMO and LUMO energies and gap became available via a new and reliable synthetic strategy starting from readily available PTCDI.     

Efficient Syntheses of Novel Fluoro‐Substituted Pentacenes and Azapentacenes: Molecular and Solid‐State Properties

Non‐symmetrical 6,13‐disubstituted pentacenes bearing trifluoromethyl and aryl substituents have been synthesized starting from pentacenequinone. Diazapentacenes with a variety of fluorine substituents were prepared either via a Hartwig–Buchwald aryl amination route or by a S_NAr strategy. As a result of a non‐symmetric substitution pattern containing electron‐donating substituents in combination with electron‐accepting fluorine substituents, the synthesized compounds feature distinct molecular dipoles. All compounds are analyzed regarding their optoelectronic properties in solution with special focus on the frontier orbital energies as well as their molecular packing in the crystal structures. The analyses of isolated molecules are complemented by thin‐film studies to examine their solid‐state properties. A precise comparison between these and the molecular properties gave detailed insights into the exciton binding energies of these compounds, which are explained by means of a simple model considering the molecular packing and polarizabilities.     

A concept to tailor electron delocalization: applying QTAIM analysis to phenyl-terpyridine compounds

To gain a deeper understanding of how structural modifications may influence photochemical properties of 4'-phenyl-2,2':6',2'-terpyridines, the investigations presented here focus on electron delocalization in 4'-phenyl-2,2':6',2'-terpyridine derivatives and their Ru(II) and Zn(II) complexes. In those systems of neighboring aromatic rings the considerable torsion between the rings is commonly regarded to be the limiting factor for a well pronounced π-conjugation between the rings. A common approach to improve the π-conjugation is to lower the steric hindrance, thus achieving a more planar geometry. Here, we present a fundamentally different approach towards enhanced π-conjugation by manipulation of the electronic properties of the pyridine-phenyl (py-ph) bond. This is accomplished by introducing various substituents at the phenylene moiety or coordinating the terpyridine moiety to transition metal ions. The electron delocalization was quantified via the DFT-calculated ellipticity in the bond-critical point (BCP) of the py-ph bond. This ellipticity can be modified due to substituents in the para position of phenylene and via the transition metals coordinated to the terpyridine moiety. Changes in electron density distribution induced by the substituents and the metal ions are further studied by means of intermolecular electron density difference plots. It was shown that a NH(2) group in the para position of the phenyl ring as well as the coordination to Ru(II) or Zn(II) ions significantly enhances the π-character of the py-ph bond. Surprisingly, an even higher π-character of the py-ph bond is achieved by introducing additional NH(2) groups in ortho position to the py-ph bond, despite the increased torsion between pyridine and phenylene. The introduction of other substituents (-NO(2), -Br, -CN, -vinyl, -ethynyl) studied within the presented work enables an actuation of the electron delocalization between terpyridine and phenylene. In doing so, the ellipticity is a concise quantity to characterize electron delocalization in the studied systems. Furthermore, the ellipticity in the BCP of the py-ph bond is related to the corresponding geometrical properties (e.g., bond length and dihedral angle) and to the DFT-calculated HOMO and LUMO energies.     

Luminescent heterometallic gold-copper alkynyl complexes stabilized by tridentate phosphine

The reactions between trinuclear gold complex tppmAu(3)Cl(3) (tppm = tris(diphenylphosphino)methane), arylacetylenes HC(2)C(6)H(4)X and Cu(+) under basic conditions result in formation of the heterometallic complexes [tppm(AuC(2)C(6)H(4)X)(3)Cu](+), X = H (1), COOMe (2), CN (3), OMe (4), NH(2) (5). These compounds belong to one structural motif and consist of the heterometallic {(AuC(2)C(6)H(4)X)(3)Cu} core stabilized by the tridentate phosphine. Compounds 1-5 were characterized by polynuclear NMR and IR spectroscopy, ESI-MS and single-crystal X-ray analysis. Luminescence properties of these complexes have been studied and revealed a substantial red shift of the emission maxima with the increase in the electron donicity of the alkynyl ligands substituents in the 550-680 nm range. The theoretical calculations of the electronic structures showed that variations of the substituents on the alkynyl ligands display very little effect on the molecular structural parameters but show appreciable influence on the orbital energies and luminescence characteristics of the compounds under study.     

5,6,12,13-Tetraazaperopyrenes as Unique Photonic and Mechanochromic Fluorophores

5,6,12,13-Tetraazaperopyrenes with different number of tert-butyl groups (c-TAPP-T, c-TAPP-H) were synthesized, via four-fold Bischler–Napieralski cyclization as the key step. As deduced from the single-crystal structures and optical properties, N-doping and substitution type allow for a precise control of intermolecular interactions. Compared to the reported 1,3,8,10-tetraazaperopyrenes, significantly different packing modes were found in 5,6,12,13-tetraazaperopyrenes. Going from c-TAPP-T to c-TAPP-H, two additional tert-butyl groups lead to different preferential growth directions, affording 1D and 2D microcrystals, respectively. Most importantly, both microcrystals exhibit excellent optical waveguide properties with extraordinarily low loss coefficients and unique polarization features. Although c-TAPP-H possesses a rigid and planar core, its crystals display an exceptional mechanochromic fluorescence, which, again, depends on the mode of molecular packing.     

Mechanism of novel consecutive rearrangements of cyclobutene-fused diphenylhomobenzoquinones catalyzed by lewis acids

Lewis acid catalyzed rearrangements of highly strained [2 + 2] photoadducts 1a-d of diphenylhomobenzoquinone with various acetylenes were investigated under the influence of AlCl(3), SnCl(4), BF(3), and TiCl(4). With the relief of steric strain, these tricyclo[5.2.0.0(3,5)]non-8-ene-2,6-diones underwent the three steps of consecutive skeletal transformations. The first step was the two-way cyclobutene ring-cleavage reaction with a Wagner-Meerwein vinyl migration to either Lewis acid activated carbonyl function. This process virtually occurred under the anchimeric assistance of the endo-phenyl ring to give, after proton transfer, the phenylene-bridged tetracyclic keto alcohols 2 and 3, respectively. The next step was the acid-induced cyclopropane ring cleavage of only 3 to lead to bicyclic diones 4 via a following stereoselective proton transfer. The last one involved a Michael-type intramolecular cyclization of 4 accompanied by a proton transfer to afford thermodynamically less stable tricyclic diones 5alpha which epimerized to 5beta only by TiCl(4). The factors that control the selectivity and the reactivity of these tandem reactions were addressed on the basis of the X-ray crystal analyses as well as the PM3 calculations. It was found the present Lewis acid-catalyzed rearrangements were very dependent on the substituents of 1a-d and the nature of the Lewis acids.     

Photophysical, spectroscopic, and computational studies of a series of Re(I) tricarbonyl complexes containing 2,6-dimethylphenylisocyanide and 5- and 6-derivatized phenanthroline ligands

The ligand 2,6-dimethylphenylisocyanide (CNx) forms six complexes of the formula [Re(CO)3(CNx)(L)]+, where L = 1,10-phenanthroline (1), 5-chloro-1,10-phenanthroline (2), 5-nitro-1,10-phenanthroline (3), 5-methyl-1,10-phenanthroline (4), 5,6-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (5), and 1,10-phenanthrolinopyrrole (6). The lowest-energy absorption peaks of the complexes red-shift in the order 1 < 2 < 3 < 4 < 5 < 6. The time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) and conductor-like polarizable continuum model (CPCM) computed singlet excited states in ethanol deviate by 1000 cm(-1) or less from the experimental UV-vis peaks. The complexes undergo reversible reductions and irreversible oxidations. The electronic energy gap increases in the order 3 < 2 < 1 < 4 < 5 < 6, which is the order of increasing electron-donating power of the phen substituents. The reduction potentials linearly correlate with the B3LYP calculated LUMO energies for 1-6. The complexes emit at room temperature and at 77 K except 3, which emits only at 77 K. The calculated (3)MLLCT energies are within 1100 cm(-1) from the experimental emission energies at 77 K. The 77 K emission curve-fitting analysis results agree with the computational assignment of the emitting state as 3MLLCT for 1-5 and 3LC for 6. The experimental 77 K emission energies and the calculated 3MLLCT state energies increase in the order 6 < 5, 3 < 2 < 4, 1. The 77 K emission lifetimes increase upon addition of substituents from 65 micros for 1 to 171 micros for 2, to 230 micros for 4 and 5, and to 322 micros for 3. The emission quantum yields at room temperature in solution are 0.77, 0.78, 0.83, 0.56, and 0.11 for complexes 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6, respectively.     

Soluble and Planar 2,9-Diazaperopyrenes through Reductive Aromatization of Perylene Diimides: Tunable Emission and Aggregation Behaviors

Reductive aromatization of perylene diimides with acid anhydrides in the presence of Mn or Zn metals provides soluble and planar 2,9-diazaperopyrenes with ester groups at 1,3,8,10-positions. The pivaloxy groups at the peripheral positions can be transformed into a variety of aryl groups through nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling of ester groups. Emission colors of diazaperopyrenes are tunable by the peripheral substituents. The peripheral substituents also affect the aggregation behaviors of 2,9-diazaperopyrenes in the solution and solid states.     

Importance of palladium-carbon bond energies in direct arylation of polyfluorinated benzenes

Fagnou et al. reported direct arylation reactions that use palladium catalysts to couple Ar(1)-X to Ar(2)-H with the aid of a coordinated base. These reactions are particularly favourable for polyfluorinated arenes Ar(2)-H (see S. I. Gorelsky, D. Lapointe and K. Fagnou, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 10848). In this paper, we show by means of a DFT analysis how the energetics and activation energies vary with fluorine substitution and examine the structures of intermediates and transition states. The reactant is modelled by Pd(OAc)(Ph)(PMe(3))(DMA) (DMA = dimethylacetamide). The sequence consists of (a) replacement of DMA by arene, (b) Concerted Deprotonation Metallation (CMD), (c) decoordination of AcOH, (d) reductive elimination of biaryl. Many of the variations are dominated by the number of fluorine substituents ortho to the C-H bond and fall into three groups labelled accordingly: Set0Fo, Set1Fo, and Set2Fo. In the first step a coordinated solvent is replaced by the arene. The arenes of Set0Fo and Set1Fo coordinate in a conventional η(2)-CH=CH mode, whereas the arenes of Set2Fo coordinate in an η(1)-CH mode assisted by an OH-C hydrogen bond from the coordinated acetate. Both the energy barriers to CMD and the product energies fall into the three typical sets with the highest barrier and highest product energy being for Set0Fo. They correlate more satisfactorily with the variations in Pd-C bond energies than with the C-H acidities. The barriers to reductive elimination from Pd(Ph)(Ar(F))(PMe(3))(AcOH) increase systematically from Set0Fo to Set2Fo as the Pd-C bond becomes stronger in a regular fashion from Set0Fo to Set2Fo. Again there is a strong correlation between the energy barriers to reductive elimination and the Pd-C bond energies. It is found overall that the key aspects of the reactions are: (a) the lowering of the energy of the CMD step by the ortho fluorine substituents, (b) the regioselective activation of C-H bonds ortho to fluorine which is also determined at the CMD step, (c) the decoordination of AcOH, which maintains the transition state for reductive elimination at low Gibbs free energy. The presence of fluorine increases the effectiveness of the reaction in the sense of points a and b via the increasing strength of the palladium-carbon bond.     

Synthesis of thiophene-substituted aza-BODIPYs and their optical and electrochemical properties

A series of novel thiophene-substituted aza-BODIPY dyes were synthesized by means of a standard procedure and complemented by a Stille-coupling of a brominated species with 2-tributylstannylthiophene. The optical as well as the electrochemical properties of the compounds were investigated and compared to result of density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The influence of the thiophene substituents is discussed in dependence of the position at the aza-BODIPY core regarding the HOMO and LUMO frontier orbitals. The different distributions of the HOMO and LUMO coefficients over the BODIPY core lead to a variable influence of the thiophene substituents on the HOMO and LUMO energies, being the origin of the tunable optical and electrochemical properties.     

Tetraazaperopyrenes: a new class of multifunctional chromophores

Tetraazaperopyrene and a range of derivatives have been synthesised and their photophysical and redox-chemical properties studied. The parent compound, 1,3,8,10-tetraazaperopyrene (1), was prepared by treating 4,9-diamino-3,10-perylenequinone diimine with triethyl orthoformate, whereas the 2,9-disubstituted derivatives of 1 were obtained after treatment with the corresponding carboxylic acid chloride or anhydride (2 mol equiv). The 1,3,8,10-tetraazaperopyrene core structure was established by X-ray diffraction of 2,9-bis(2-bromophenyl)-1,3,8,10-tetraazaperopyrene (6). The UV-visible absorption spectra of the compounds have a characteristic visible pi(*)<--pi absorption band at 440 nm (log epsilon(max)=4.80) with a strong vibrational progression (Delta nu approximately 1450 cm(-1)). Diprotonation of the nitrogen atoms induces a bathochromic shift of this band from 430-440 to 470-480 nm and all four nitrogen atoms are protonated when pure H(2)SO(4) is used as the solvent. The first and second as well as the third and fourth protonations occur concomitantly, which implies that they have very similar pK(a) values and, consequently, similar proton affinities. A theoretical study of the proton affinities in the gas phase and in solution attributes this behaviour to the effects of polar solvents, which dampen the charge of a protonated site at the other end of the molecule and thus effectively decouple the two opposite pyrimidine units in the polycondensed aromatic compound. The photophysical data were modelled in a time-dependent DFT study of 1, 1H(2)(2+) and 1H(4)(4+) in both the gas phase and in a polar solvent. All the dyes show weak fluorescence in organic solvents, however, their protonated conjugate acids show dramatically increased fluorescence intensity. All of the dyes undergo two electrochemically reversible one-electron reductions with cyclovoltammetric half-wave potentials at E(red1) approximately -0.9 V and E(red2) approximately -1.3 V (vs. SCE), which are associated with characteristic spectral changes.     

5‐Unsubstituted Pyrido[3,2,1‐jk]carbazol‐6‐ones: Syntheses,Substitution, and Cyclization Reactions

The synthesis of the 5‐unsubstituted pyrido[3,2,1‐jk]carbazol‐6‐one 4 can be achieved by the reaction of carbazole ( 1 ) and malonate derivatives, either in a three‐step synthesis via 5‐acetyl‐pyridocarbazolone 3 or in a one‐step reaction from 1 and malonic acid/phosphoryl chloride. The 5‐acetyl derivative 5 can be transformed via a tosylate intermediate to 4‐azido‐pyridocarbazolone 11 , which cyclizes by thermal decomposition to the isoxazolo‐pyrido[3,2,1‐jk]carbazolone 12 . The thermolysis conditions were investigated by DSC. Nitration of pyridocarbazolone 4 and subsequent introduction of azide leads to azido derivative 23 , which cyclizes on thermolysis to furazan‐oxide derivative 24 . Again, the thermolysis conditions were investigated by DSC. 5‐Chloro‐5‐nitro‐pyrido[3,2,1‐jk]carbazole‐4,6‐dione, obtained from 4 by subsequent nitration and chlorination, forms by exchange of both 5‐substituents 5,5‐dihydroxy‐pyridocarbazoledione 17 , which acylates phenol to give 5‐hydroxy‐5‐(p‐hydroxyphenyl)‐pyridocarbazoledione 20 . Acid‐catalyzed cyclodehydration of 20 forms a highly fused benzofuro‐pyridocarbazole 21 . Another C–C coupling at position 5 starts from 4‐chloro‐5‐nitro‐pyridocarbazolone 22 and diethyl malonate 2a , which forms the diethyl (nitrocarbazolyl)malonate 25 . With dimethyl malonate 2c , the intermediate dimethyl (nitrocarbazolyl)malonate gives on thermolysis the (nitrocarbazolyl)acetate 27 by loss of one ester group.     

Effect of Positions of Methyl Substituents in the Complexation Kinetics of Macrocyclic Tetraamines with Copper(II) in Strongly Basic Aqueous Media

The complexation kinetics of the reaction of copper(II) with isomeric tetraamine macrocyclic ligands, C-rac-5, 7, 7, 12, 12, 14-hexamethyl-l, 4, 8, 11-tetraazacyclotetradecane (tet c), C-meso-5, 7, 7, 12, 12, 14-hexamethyl-l, 4, 8, 11-tetraazacyclotetradecane (tet d), and C-meso-5, 5, 7, 12, 12, 14-hexamethyl-1, 4, 8, 11-tetraazacyclotetradecane (tet a) in strongly basic aqueous media have been examined at 25.0 ± 0.1°C by means of the stopped-flow technique. The variation in the values of the resulting rate constants indicates that the positions of the methyl substituents play a significant role in these reactions. These reactions exhibit associative character and second-bond formation is proposed as the rate-determining step.     

Tetrachlorinated tetraazaperopyrenes (TAPPs): highly fluorescent dyes and semiconductors for air-stable organic n-channel transistors and complementary circuits

A range of 2,9-perfluoroalkyl-substituted tetraazaperopyrene (TAPP) derivatives (1-5) was synthesised by reacting 4,9-diamino-3,10-perylenequinone diimine (DPDI) with the corresponding carboxylic acid chloride or anhydride in the presence of a base. The reaction of compounds 1-4 with dichloroisocyanuric acid (DIC) in concentrated sulphuric acid resulted in the fourfold substitution of the tetraazaperopyrene core, yielding the 2,9-bisperfluoroalkyl-4,7,11,14-tetrachloro-1,3,8,10-tetraazaperopyrenes 6-9, respectively. The optical and electrochemical data demonstrate the drastic influence of the core substitution on the properties. All compounds are highly luminescent (fluorescence quantum yields of up to Φ=0.8). The LUMO energies of the tetrachlorinated TAPP derivatives (determined by cyclic voltammetry and computed by DFT calulations) were found to be below -4?eV. In the course of this work the performance of TAPP derivatives in organic thin-film transistors (TFTs) was investigated, and their n-channel characteristics with field-effect mobilities of up to 0.14?cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and an on/off current ratio of >10(6) were confirmed. Long-term stabilities of 3-4 months under ambient conditions of the devices were established. Complementary inverters and ring oscillators with n-channel TFTs based on compound 8 and p-channel TFTs based on dinaphtho-[2,3-b:2',3'-f]thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (DNTT) were fabricated on a glass substrate.     

Comparative study of photodynamic properties of 13,15-N-cycloimide derivatives of chlorin p6

Comparative study of 13,15-[N-(2-hydroxyethyl)]cycloimide chlorin p6 (2), 13,15-(N-acetoxy)cycloimide chlorin p6 (3), 13,15-(N-hydroxy)cycloimide chlorin p6 methyl ester (4) and 13,15-(N-methoxy)cycloimide chlorin p6 methyl ester (5) together with the previously investigated 13,15-[N-(3-hydroxypropyl)]cycloimide chlorin p6 (1) was performed. The dependence of the key photodynamic properties of 1-5 on the introduced substituents was analyzed. The photoinduced cell-killing activity of 4 is 100- and 280-fold higher than that of chlorin p6 and Photogem, respectively, as estimated on A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells. The activity is reduced eight times in the order 4 > 5 > 1 > 2 > 3. The intracellular accumulation of 1-5 occurs in cytoplasm in a monomeric form bound to the lipids of cellular membranes. This form of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 is characterized by the high quantum yield of singlet oxygen generation, which depends on the introduced substituents, 0.66, 0.59, 0.35, 0.51 and 0.73, respectively. The photostability is two-fold less for 1 and four-fold less for 2, 3 and 5 than for 4. The rates of cellular uptake and efflux of 1-5 vary widely, thus providing the way to optimize the pharmacological properties of the photosensitizer (PS) using the respective substituents. Modifying the substituents, 1-5 were targeted to different cellular organelles. The enhanced accumulation in the Golgi apparatus and mitochondria complemented with diffuse staining of intracellular membranous structures is a property of 1-4. Compound 5 accumulates selectively in the lipid droplets and stains weakly perinuclear structures. Temperature-sensitive mechanisms of transport are responsible for the 1-4 uptake. Diffusion can play a role in the internalization of 5 but not of 1-4. Endocytosis via caveolae, clathrin-dependent and adenosine triphosphate-dependent pathways are not noticeably involved in the 1-5 internalization. Independently from their intracellular localization 1, 4 and 5 are highly efficient near-IR PS, which induce predominantly an apoptotic type of cell death under conditions providing ca 50% level of phototoxicity and necrosis at the 100% level of phototoxicity.     

Aromaticity and antiaromaticity in fulvenes, ketocyclopolyenes, fulvenones, and diazocyclopolyenes

The structures, energies, natural charges, and magnetic properties of 3-, 5-, 7-, and 9-membered cyclic polyenes 1-4, respectively, with exocyclic methylene, keto, ketenyl, and diazo substituents (a-d, respectively) were computed at the B3LYP/6-311G+ **//B3LYP/6-311+G** level to elucidate their aromatic and antiaromatic properties. The corresponding conjugated cyclic cations le and 3e were also studied. The criteria used are isomerization energies (ISE), magnetic susceptibility exaltations (lambda), aromatic stabilization energies (ASE), nucleus independent chemical shifts (NICS), and bond length alternation (deltaR). Planar C2v structures were found to be the lowest energy minima with the exceptions of diazocyclopropene (1d), cycloheptafulvenone (3c), diazocycloheptatriene (3d), and all of the cyclononatetraene derivatives (4). The fulvenes (1a-4a) have modest aromatic or antiaromatic character, and are used as standards for comparison. By these criteria the ketenylidene and diazo cyclopropenes and cycloheptatrienes 1,3-c,d and oxo cyclopentadiene and cyclononatetraene 2,4b are antiaromatic, while the 5- and 9-ring ketenyl and diazo compounds and 3- and 7-ring ketones are aromatic. The degree of aromatic/antiaromatic character decreases with ring size. The consistent agreement with Hückel rule predictions for all the criteria shows their utility for the evaluation of the elusive properties of aromaticity and antiaromaticity.     

Enhancement of the Catalytic Activity of a Macrocyclic Cobalt(II) Complex for the Electroreduction of O(2) by Adsorption on Graphite

In solution, the [(tim)Co](2+) complex (tim = 2,3,9,10-tetramethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradeca-1,3,8,10-tetraene) reacts only slowly with O(2), but upon adsorption on graphite electrodes, it becomes an active catalyst for the reduction of O(2) to H(2)O(2). The electroreduction of O(2) proceeds in a single voltammetric step at close to the diffusion-controlled rate at a relatively positive potential (0.25 V vs SCE). The remarkable enhancement in catalytic activity is attributed to a higher affinity for O(2) of the adsorbed complex as a result of its interactions with functional groups on the surface of roughened or oxidized graphite. A possible mechanism for the catalytic reduction of O(2) is proposed. It differs from the one employed by the analogous [(hmc)Co](2+) complex (hmc = C-meso-5,7,7,12,14,14-hexamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) which operates at less positive potentials and exhibits two separated voltammetric steps in the reduction of O(2), via [(hmc)CoOOH](2+), to H(2)O(2).     

Further insight into the coordination of 2,5-dicarbothioamidopyrroles: the case of Cu and Co complexes

The coordination chemistry of 2,5-dicarbothioamidopyrrole ligands, namely N2,N5-dibutyl-3,4-diphenyl-1H-pyrrole-2,5-bis(carbothioamide) and N2,N5,3,4-tetraphenyl-1H-pyrrole-2,5-bis(carbothioamide), has been investigated with Cu(II) metal centres by means of X-ray crystallography. This resulted in the formation of the expected planar S,N,S' coordinated complex for the former ligand and unexpected ring-closure reactions, with formation of benzothiazole sidearms, for the latter. Both Cu(II) and Cu(I), used in large excess, were found to favour the ring-closure reaction, although the structural characterisation of the resulting complexes contained only Cu(II) cations, with varying coordination geometries ranging from square planar and square-based pyramidal to tetrahedral. By repeating the reaction using a slight excess of Cu(II) (2?:?1) two more different structures were obtained where the metal was coordinated to the original ligand, N2,N5,3,4-tetraphenyl-1H-pyrrole-2,5-bis(carbothioamide), or to the mixed ligand where only one of the thioamide substituents had converted to a benzothiazole. The essential role of Cu for the ring closure reaction was also established by comparing its complex with structural features of the analogous Co(II) complex, the latter revealing no ring closure to give benzothiazole substituents and co-crystallisation of a mixed Co(II)/Co(III) complex. Finally, the structure and photophysical properties of the corresponding 3,4-diphenyl-2,5-bis(benzothiozol-5-yl)-pyrrole ligand, obtained via treatment of the thioamide with K(3)[Fe(CN)(6)], were also investigated revealing a blue-centered emission.     

Polarographische Untersuchungen an symmetrischen Triazacarbocyaninen in Methanol

Polarographic Investigations on Symmetrical Triazacarbocyanine Dyes in Methanol The reduction mechanism of eleven symmetrical triazacarbocyanine dyes with different heterocycles in methanol (containing lithium chloride or lithium acetate/acetic acid) has been investigated by means of polarography, cyclic oscillopolarography and coulometry. The reduction occurs in a reversible to irreversible two electron transfer step, followed by an irreversible chemical step. Reduction potentials, transfer coefficients and specific currents have been measured and compared with properties measured in acetonitrile. The effect of substituents X has been studied on the compounds 1-ethyl-2-[3-(1-ethyl-6-X-1,2-dihydroquinolin-2-ylidene)-1-triazeno]-6-X-quinolinium tetrafluoroborate 1f(X) and 3-ethyl-2-[3-(3-ethyl-5-X-Δ⁴-1, 3-thiazolin-2-ylidene)-1-triazeno]-5-X-1, 3-thiazolium tetrafluoroborate 1g(X) , and ρ-values of 0.20 and 0.40 V, respectively, have been found.     

Thermal racemization of spiropyrans: implication of substituent and solvent effects revealed by computational study

The thermal racemization of spiropyrans has been investigated by computational study at the density functional theory and MP2 levels. Two possible reaction mechanisms for the thermal racemization of spiropyrans were found. One reaction mechanism is a three-step reaction, the other represents a four-step reaction. The competition between these two mechanisms is dependent on the strengths of the substituents, as well as the polarities of the solvents. Different substituents and solvents change the rate-determining step and lead to various pathways. The solvent effect is found more pronounced on the electron-withdrawing substituted spiropyrans. In addition, bond length alternation (BLA), a structural parameter, has been employed in this study. It has been proven that BLA is a useful parameter to correlate the effect of substituents and solvents with the racemization mechanism of spiropyrans. The relationship between BLA and activation energies clearly explains the origin of the competition between the two reaction mechanisms. The results from this work would be valuable for selecting substituents and solvents for development of desired optical properties of spiropyrans.