Through‐Bond/Through‐Space Anion Relay Chemistry Exploiting Vinylepoxides as Bifunctional Linchpins

The development of new bifunctional linchpins that permit the union of diverse building blocks is essential for the synthetic utility of anion relay chemistry (ARC). The design, synthesis, and validation of three vinylepoxide linchpins for through‐bond/through‐space ARC are now reported. For negative charge migration, this class of bifunctional linchpins employs initial through‐bond ARC by an S_N2′ reaction, followed by through‐space ARC exploiting a 1,4‐Brook rearrangement. The trans‐disubstituted vinylepoxide linchpin yields a mixture of E/Z isomers, whereas the cis‐disubstituted and the trans‐trisubstituted vinylepoxide linchpins proceed to deliver three‐component adducts with excellent E selectivity.     

Coupling between Substituents as a Function of Cage Structure: Synthesis and Valence Ionized States of Bridgehead Disubstituted Parent and Hexafluorinated Bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane Derivatives C5X6Y2

He(I) photoelectron spectroscopy was used to examine the valence‐shell electronic structure of three new and seven previously known bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane derivatives, 1,3‐Y₂‐C₅X₆ (for X=H, Y=H, Cl, Br, I, CN; for X=F, Y=H, Br, I, CN). A larger series (X=H or F, Y=H, F, Cl, Br, I, At, CN) has been studied computationally with the SAC‐CI (symmetry‐adapted cluster configuration interaction) method. The outer‐valence ionization spectra calculated by the SAC‐CI method, including spin–orbit interaction, reproduced the experimental photoelectron spectra well, and quantitative assignments are given. When the extent of effective through‐cage interaction between the bridgehead halogen lone‐pair orbitals was defined in the usual way by orbital‐energy splitting, it was found to be larger than that mediated by other cages such as cubane, and was further enhanced by hexafluorination. The origin of the orbital‐energy splitting is analyzed in terms of cage structure, and it is pointed out that its relation to the degree of interaction between the bridgehead substituents is not as simple as is often assumed.     

Weak attractive interactions between methylthio groups and electron-deficient alkenes in peri-naphthalenes: a competition with conjugative effects

The solid-state conformations of five peri-disubstituted naphthalenes bearing a methylthio group and an electron-deficient alkene indicate a weak attractive interaction between the functional groups in four cases in which out-of-plane displacements lead to a common orientation of the MeSsp(2)-C vector to the alkene bond. In some cases the interaction is not strong enough to outweigh the tendency of the alkene to conjugate with the aromatic ring, and in one case this optimisation of conjugation alone controls the molecular conformation. The methylthio group lies close to the aromatic plane in all but one example for which the plane of the sulfide group is presented to the alkene.     

Through-space conjugated polymers based on cyclophanes

Conjugated polymers display unique electronic and optical properties, which favor their use in applications as optoelectronic materials and molecular devices. Despite the recent remarkable progress in the chemistry of conjugated polymers, the synthesis of conjugated polymers containing cyclophane units in the main chain is limited to only a few examples. This Minireview presents recent developments in the synthesis, properties, and applications of through-space conjugated polymers based on cyclophanes.     

Theoretical Study on Cooperativity Effects between Anion–π and Halogen‐Bonding Interactions

This article analyzes the interplay between lone pair–π (lp–π) or anion–π interactions and halogen‐bonding interactions. Interesting cooperativity effects are observed when lp/anion–π and halogen‐bonding interactions coexist in the same complex, and they are found even in systems in which the distance between the anion and halogen‐bond donor molecule is longer than 9 Å. These effects are studied theoretically in terms of energetic and geometric features of the complexes, which are computed by ab initio methods. Bader′s theory of “atoms in molecules” is used to characterize the interactions and to analyze their strengthening or weakening depending upon the variation of charge density at critical points. The physical nature of the interactions and cooperativity effects are studied by means of molecular interaction potential with polarization partition scheme. By taking advantage of all aforementioned computational methods, the present study examines how these interactions mutually influence each other. Additionally, experimental evidence for such interactions is obtained from the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD).     

Molecular Pair Analysis: C?H⋅⋅⋅F Interactions in the Crystal Structure of Fluorobenzene? And Related Matters

The crystal structure of fluorobenzene is compared with isomorphous crystal structures of molecules of roughly similar shape. The lowest-energy fluorobenzene dimers are identified by theoretical calculations. Molecular pair analysis of the crystal structure of fluorobenzene and of an isomorphous virtual low-energy polymorph of benzene suggests that the important intermolecular interactions in the two structures are closely similar. In particular, the intermolecular C-H...F interactions in the fluorobenzene crystal have approximately the same structure-directing ability and influence on the intermolecular energy as the corresponding C-H...H interactions in benzene. Molecular pair analysis of the isomorphous crystal structures of benzonitrile, alloxan, and cyclopentene-1,2,3-trione indicates that essentially the same crystal structure can be adopted with quite different patterns of pair energies and atom-atom interactions. The question as to whether the packing radius of organic fluorine is larger or smaller than that of hydrogen, is addressed, but not answered.     

Hydrindacene‐Based Acetylenic Macrocycles with Horizontally and Vertically Ordered Functionality Arrays

The macrocyclization of 2,6‐diethynyl hydrindacenes ( 1 ) with functional groups at mutually perpendicular positions results in the formation of novel macrocycles which, as a result of the hindered rotation of the hydrindacene units, possess directionally persistent peripheral functionalities. The two hydrindacene units in the dimer macrocycle ( 2 ) have been shown to interact electronically through their respective butadiyne moieties, whereas the trimer macrocycle ( 3 ) demonstrates a moderate degree of geometrical flexibility as a result of the five‐membered hydrindacene rings. In addition, these trimer macrocycles contain a central cavity suitably sized for the inclusion of various solvent molecules. These new macrocycles can be further modified by introducing π‐conjugated side groups, such as styryl and thienyl groups, as well as by attaching a variety of peripheral ester groups.     

Exploring the Limits of Förster Theory for Energy Transfer at a Separation of 20 Å

Cutting the corner : An excellent agreement has been obtained between experimental and computed coulombic coupling matrix elements for donor–spacer–acceptor systems, which consist of a boron dipyrromethane donor and acceptor in various stages of protonation. This correlation occurs in spite of reservations about the validity of Förster theory being applied to intramolecular electronic energy transfer (ET) over short (e.g., 20 Å) distances (see picture).

     

Synthesis, characterization, and theoretical study of stable isomers of C70(CF3)n (n = 2, 4, 6, 8, 10)

Reaction of C70 with ten equivalents of silver(I) trifluoroacetate at 320-340 degrees C followed by fractional sublimation at 420-540 degrees C and HPLC processing led to the isolation of a single abundant isomer of C70(CF3)n for n = 2, 4, 6, and 10, and two abundant isomers of C70(CF3)8. These six compounds were characterized by using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry, 2D-COSY and/or 1D 19F NMR spectroscopy, and quantum-chemical calculations at the density functional theory (DFT) level. Some were also characterized by Raman spectroscopy. The addition patterns for the isolated compounds were unambiguously found to be C1-7,24-C70(CF3)2, C1-7,24,44,47-C70(CF3)4, C2-1,4,11,19,31,41-C70(CF3)6, Cs-1,4,11,19,31,41,51,64-C70(CF3)8, C2-1,4,11,19,31,41,51,60-C70(CF3)8, and C1-1,4,10,19,25,41,49,60,66,69-C70(CF3)10 (IUPAC numbering). Except for the last compound, which is identical to the recently reported, crystallographically characterized C70(CF3)10 derivative prepared by a different synthetic route, these compounds have not previously been shown to have the indicated addition patterns. The largest relative yield under an optimized set of reaction conditions was for the Cs isomer of C70(CF3)8 (ca. 30 mol % of the sublimed mixture of products based on HPLC integration). The results demonstrate that thermally stable C70(CF3)n isomers tend to have their CF3 groups arranged on isolated para-C6(CF3)2 hexagons and/or on a ribbon of edge-sharing meta- and/or para-C6(CF3)2 hexagons. For Cs- and C2-C70(CF3)8 and for C2-C70(CF3)6, the ribbons straddle the C70 equatorial belt; for C1-C70(CF3)4, the para-meta-para ribbon includes three polar hexagons; for C1-7,24-C70(CF3)2, the para-C6(CF3)2 hexagon includes one of the carbon atoms on a C70 polar pentagon. The 10.3-16.2 Hz 7JF,F NMR coupling constants for the end-of-ribbon CF3 groups, which are always para to their nearest-neighbor CF3 group, are consistent with through-space Fermi-contact interactions between the fluorine atoms of proximate, rapidly rotating CF3 groups.     

Design of Leaving Groups in Radical CC Fragmentations: Through‐Bond 2c–3e Interactions in Self‐Terminating Radical Cascades

Radical cascades terminated by β‐scission of exocyclic C?C bonds allow for the formation of aromatic products. Whereas β‐scission is common for weaker bonds, achieving this reactivity for carbon–carbon bonds requires careful design of radical leaving groups. It has now been found that the energetic penalty for breaking a strong σ‐bond can be compensated by the gain of aromaticity in the product and by the stabilizing two‐center, three‐electron “half‐bond” present in the radical fragment. Furthermore, through‐bond communication of a radical and a lone pair accelerates the fragmentation by selectively stabilizing the transition state. The stereoelectronic design of radical leaving groups leads to a new, convenient route to Sn‐functionalized aromatics.     

Electronic coupling in mixed-valence dinuclear ferrocenes and cobaltocenes with saturated bridging groups

We have synthesised a series of new dinuclear metallocenes [{M(Cp*)(C5H4)}2X] (Cp* = eta5-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl; M = Fe, Co, X = CMe2, SiMe2, GeMe2; M = Fe, X = Si2Me4). For the neutral dicobalt complexes, magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal intramolecular antiferromagnetic interactions of -21 and -14 cm(-1) for SiMe2- and GeMe2-bridged species, respectively, but negligible interaction for the CMe2-bridged compound. In contrast, intervalence charge-transfer (IVCT) data for the mixed-valence monocations of both Fe and Co complexes show electronic coupling to decrease in the order CMe2 > SiMe2 > GeMe2. This suggests that electronic coupling is principally through-space in contrast to results found from previous studies. The IVCT data also show much stronger coupling in the dicobalt species versus their diiron analogues.