Electronic structures and charge-transfer spectra of tris[2.2.2]paraxylylene and related compounds

Electronic spectra of tris[2.2.2]paraxylylene (3°-PX) and some related compounds were measured in order to investigate the electronic interaction (pπ-pπ and pσ-pσ type) between “normal” (undistorted) benzene rings. 3°-PX showed a large hypochromic effect, i.e., its oscillator strength was observed to be 0·61 times of that of the corresponding linear polyparaxylylene. Charge-transfer (CT) spectra between these compounds and some electron acceptors were also studied. MO calculations (the VI/1, CNDO/2 and CI methods) were carried out in order to elucidate the electronic structure of 3°-PX and also the CT interactions between tetracyanoethylene and 3°-PX, benzene, toluene or p-xylene.