Tricarbonylchromium complexes of [5]- and [6]metacyclophane: an experimental and theoretical study

Tricarbonylchromium complexes of [5]- and [6]metacyclophane were prepared and the interaction between the Cr(CO)₃ tripod and the cyclophane fragment was evaluated by both an experimental and a theoretical study. The tricarbonylchromium complex of [5]metacyclophane could only be obtained in solution and was characterized by its ¹H NMR spectrum. The tricarbonylchromium complex of [6]metacyclophane was isolated and an X-ray crystal structure was obtained, which reveals that no significant geometric changes occur upon coordination of the severely distorted aromatic ring. Computations on the tricarbonylchromium complexes of m-xylene, [5]- and [6]metacyclophane furthermore demonstrate that the corresponding complexation energy is remarkably unaffected by the degree of distortion of the aromatic ring. Theoretical analyses of the above model systems as well as complexes of planar and artificially deformed benzene with Cr(CO)₃ show that this is primarily the result of two counteracting effects: (i) a stabilization due to an increased back-donation from the metal center to the benzene and (ii) a destabilization due to the increasing strain in the aromatic ring.     

Regioselective Photocyclizations of Di(quinolinyl)arylamines and Tri(quinolinyl)amine with Emission Color Changes and Photoreaction‐Induced Self‐Assemblies

Bis[2,4‐di(trifluoromethyl)quinoline‐7‐yl]amine ( 1 ), bis[2,4‐di(trifluoromethyl)quinoline‐7‐yl]methylamine ( 2 ), bis[2,4‐di(trifluoromethyl)quinoline‐7‐yl]phenylamine derivatives, Q₂NPhX; X=NO₂ ( 3 a ), I ( 3 b ), H ( 3 c ), OMe ( 3 d ), and NH₂ ( 3 e ), tris[2,4‐di(trifluoromethyl)quinoline‐7‐yl]amine ( 4 ), and bis[2,4‐di(pentafluoroethyl)quinoline‐7‐yl]‐4‐nitrophenylamine ( 5 ) were prepared as functional fluorophores. On irradiating the solution samples, 1 showed no noticeable alteration, whereas 2 , 3 a – d , and 4 showed emission color changes from yellowish green to blue, indicating that a photoreaction took place. Analyses of the photoproduct based on absorption and emission spectra, ¹H NMR spectra, and X‐ray crystallography indicated that photocyclization reactions occurred regioselectively and quantitatively to form bent–bent dipyridocarbazoles. In 3 a – d , the reaction rates depended on the solvent polarity and the substituent on the benzene ring. The photoreactions were accelerated with decreasing solvent polarity and with increasing electron‐withdrawing character of the substituents. The photocyclization of triquinolineamine 4 was faster than that of 3 a in all solvents. The results of semiempirical quantum‐chemical PM6 calculations suggested that the observed regioselective photocyclization could be explained by stabilization of the excited triplet transition state for the bent–bent form because of the molecular geometry with the CH?NQ hydrogen bonds. The solution of 5 in MeOH displayed photoreaction‐induced self‐assembly behavior to form twisted tape‐like fibers of width 200 nm, as determined by TEM imaging.     

Dual Activation of Aromatic Diels–Alder Reactions

The unusually fast Diels–Alder reactions of [5]cyclophanes were analyzed by DFT at the BLYP-D3(BJ)/TZ2P level of theory. The computations were guided by an integrated activation-strain and Kohn–Sham molecular orbital analysis. It is revealed why both [5]metacyclophane and [5]paracyclophane exhibit a significant rate enhancement compared to their planar benzene analogue. The activation strain analyses revealed that the enhanced reactivity originates from 1) predistortion of the aromatic core resulting in a reduced activation strain of the aromatic diene, and/or 2) enhanced interaction with the dienophile through a distortion-controlled lowering of the HOMO–LUMO gap within the diene. Both of these physical mechanisms and thus the rate of Diels–Alder cycloaddition can be tuned through different modes of geometrical distortion (meta versus para bridging) and by heteroatom substitution in the aromatic ring. Judicious choice of the bridge and heteroatom in the aromatic core enables effective tuning of the aromatic Diels–Alder reactivity to achieve activation barriers as low as 2 kcal mol⁻¹, which is an impressive 35 kcal mol⁻¹ lower than that of benzene.     

Mass spectroscopic study of 2,5-dimethyl-4-benzoyl- and 2,5-dimethyl-4-benzylpyridine derivatives

The dissociative ionization of sixteen 4-benzoyl- and 4-benzylpyridine derivatives and their deuteroanalogs has been studied. An ortho effect, due to the benzoyl and benzyl radicals in the methyl group in the 5-position of the pyridine ring, has been detected. It has also been established that fragmentation of 4-benzoylpyridines substituted with a nitro group in the benzene ring leads to [M-OH]⁺ ions, due to the ortho effect, whereas fragmentation of 4-benzylpyridines leads to [M-C₆H₅R]⁺ ions. The probability of a given process depends on the position and nature of any substituent in the benzene ring; this makes it possible to identify different isomers in a given series of compounds.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 810–816, June, 1987.     

Theoretical studies of [n]paracyclophanes and their valence isomers. I. Geometries,strain energies,and enthalpies of the inter-conversions of [n]paracyclophanes and their Dewar benzee isomers

Four semiempirical methods (AM1, MNDO, PM3, and MINDO/3) are used to calculate the deformation angles of [n]paracyclophanes and their Dewar benzene isomers for n = 3… 10. The results obtained by all these methods are in good agreement with data from X-ray studies. We have determined the strain energies that, in both series of compounds, are due to two components: (1) the strain energy of deformation of the cycle (aromatic or Dewar Benzene skeletons) and (2) the strain energy of the oligomethylene chain. In [6]paracyclophane, the strain energy [SE_ring(MNDO) ≈? 32.9 kcal/mol] almost compensates the resonance energy (E_resonance ≈ 36 kcal/mol) so that its chemical properties are closer to alkenes than to benzenic compounds. To better reproduce the enthalpy of the valence isomerization [n]Dewar bezene → [n]paracyclophane, which is poorly calculated with these methods, a correction is proposed and the reaction enthalpy of [6]paracyclophane is estimated to be about ΔH_r ≈ 15 ± 15 kcal/mol. It is found that MNDO and MINDO/3 need the smallest corrections, but MNDO leads to better geometries than MINDO/3. In conclusion, MNDO seems to be the best technique for further studies of these compounds. © 1992 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Through-space electronic interactions of [2.2]metacyclophane benzyl cations

The hydrolysis of 8-bromomethyl[2.2]metacyclophanes 3 to the corresponding 8-hydroxymethyl derivatives 4 was carried out in 83% aqueous dioxane solution at 25°C. Substituent effect through space on the rate of the hydrolysis of bromomethyl groups attached on the opposite aromatic ring was first found in this investigation. Interestingly, the introduction of the substituents at the internal position 16 tends to enhance the hydrolysis reaction rate 10–100 times. It was found also that the stabilization by both the direct through-space cation-π-interaction and the interaction through the intra-annular 8,16-position are possible in the [2.2]metacyclophane 8-benzyl cations. The good correlation with log(K/K_H) and σ_p ⁺ was observed for the hydrolysis of internally unsubstituted 5-bromomethyl[2.2]MCPs 7, in which the direct through-space cation-π-interactions are not possible. TiCl₄ and Nafion-H, a perfluorinated resinsulfonic acid, catalysed Friedel-Crafts benzylation of benzene and substituted benzenes with 8-bromomethyl- and 8-hydroxymethyl[2.2]metacyclophanes to afford 8-benzyl[2.2]metacyclophanes is described. A high substrate and positional selectivity were observed in the present benzylation reaction quite different from those obtained from the benzyl bromide and benzyl alcohol. The benzyl cation intermediate stabilized by the through-space electronic interaction among the opposite benzene ring was first demonstrated in the benzylation of [2.2]metacyclophane systems. The mild and selective transannular reaction attributable to the highly strained character of [2.2]metacyclophane skeleton and the increased stabilization of the 5-benzyl cation intermediate arising from the electronic interactions among the opposite benzene ring through the intra-annular 8,16-positions was also observed.     

Mass-spectrometric study of 2- and 4-azafluorenones

A mass-spectrometric study of 2- and 4-azafluorenones and their mono- and polymethyl derivatives showed that the presence of a methyl group in the benzene ring leads to a sharp increase in the relative intensity of the [M — H]⁺ ion peak. In contrast to the fragmentation of 2- and 4-azafluorenes, the mass spectra of monomethyl-substituted compounds do not contain an [M — CH₃]⁺ fragment; this is probably associated with expansion of the pyridine or benzene ring to a seven-membered ring in the step involving the formation of the molecular ion due to inclusion of the methyl group. The intensity of the [M — CO]⁺ ion peak in the mass spectra of the 4-azafluorenones is higher by a factor of two with respect to the 2-azafluorenone isomers, and the [M — HCN]⁺ and [M — H, -HCN]⁺ ion peaks observed in the mass spectra of 2-azafluorenones are absent in them.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 89–95, January, 1979.     

ESR. Spectra of the Radical Anion of Dimethyl-phenyl-phosphine

ESR. spectra of the radical anion (I^?) produced from dimethyl-phenyl-phosphine (I) both by electrolysis and reaction with alkali metals have been studied upon variation of temperature. The coupling constant assigned to the ³¹P nucleus depends strongly on temperature, whereas the coupling constants attributed to protons do not exhibit such a dependence. The π-spin populations at the benzene ring of I^? give evidence - in accordance with other experimental data [1] [2] – that the dimethylphosphino substituent is electron-attracting. This effect is thought to be due mainly to P ← C_π delocalization, which is analogous to the Si? C_π interaction in trimethylsilyl-substituted π-systems [3]. The ESR. spectrum previously [4] ascribed to I^? is shown to arise from a secondary radical. The formation and structure of this radical are briefly discussed.     

The Effects of Ring Strain on Cyclic Tetraaryl[5]cumulenes

Cyclic tetraaryl[5]cumulenes ( 1 a–f ) have been synthesized and studied as a function of increasing ring strain. The magnitude of ring strain is approximated by the extent of bending of the cumulenic core as assessed by a combination of X-ray crystallographic analysis and DFT calculations. Trends are observed in ¹³C NMR, UV-vis, and Raman spectra associated with ring strain, but the effects are small. In particular, the experimental HOMO-LUMO gap is not appreciably affected by bending of the [5]cumulene framework from ca. 174° (λ_max=504 nm) in 1 a to ca. 178° (λ_max=494 nm) in 1 f .     

Phosphorescence of [n]paracyclophanes and their ground-state complexes with silver perchlorate

The red-shift of the phosphorescence transition of [n]paracyclophanes (n = 7–10) compared to planar benzene homologues is almost entirely determined by the bending angle of the benzene rings. The same is assumed for [2.2]paracyclophane. The higher stability of the [2.2]paracyclophane/AgClO₄ ground-state complex compared with that of p-xylene is not due to benzene ring bending.     

Kinetics and mechanism of oxidation of anisole and substituted anisoles by acid bromate in acetic acid-water mixture

Oxidation of anisoles by acid bromate has been studied in acetic acid-water system in the presence of sulphuric acid. The reaction is first order each in [anisole] and [Br(V)]. The rate of reaction increased with increase in [H⁺] and percentage of acetic acid. The products of oxidation have been identified as ortho and para hydroxyanisoles. From the effect of [H⁺] and [acetic acid] on rate, H ₂ ⁺ BrO₃ has been established as the reactive species. Anisoles having electron-donating substituents in the benzene ring accelerate the rates and vice versa with a Hammett ρ value of −0.6. A mechanism involving the attack of H ₂ ⁺ BrO₃ on ortho/para position of the anisole in the rate-determining step has been proposed.     

Tuning the Size and Geometry of Heteroleptic Coordination Cages by Varying the Ligand Bent Angle

Spherical assemblies of the type [Pd_nL_2n]²ⁿ⁺ can be obtained from Pd^II salts and curved N-donor ligands, L. It is well established that the bent angle, α, of the ligand is a decisive factor in the self-assembly process, with larger angles leading to complexes with a higher nuclearity, n. Herein, we report heteroleptic coordination cages of the type [Pd_nL_nL′_n]²ⁿ⁺, for which a similar correlation between the ligand bent angle and the nuclearity is observed. Tetranuclear cages were obtained by combining [Pd(CH₃CN)₄](BF₄)₂ with 1,3-di(pyridin-3-yl)benzene and ligands featuring a bent angle of α=120°. The use of a dipyridyl ligand with α=149° led to the formation of a hexanuclear complex with a trigonal prismatic geometry; for linear ligands, octanuclear assemblies of the type [Pd₈L₈L′₈]¹⁶⁺ were obtained. The predictable formation of heteroleptic Pd^II cages from 1,3-di(pyridin-3-yl)benzene and different dipyridyl ligands is evidence that there are entire classes of heteroleptic cage structures that are privileged from a thermodynamic point of view.     

Construction of Hexahydrophenanthrenes By Rhodium(I)‐Catalyzed Cycloisomerization of Benzylallene‐Substituted Internal Alkynes through C−H Activation

The treatment of benzylallene‐substituted internal alkynes with [RhCl(CO)₂]₂ effects a novel cycloisomerization by C(sp²)?H bond activation to produce hexahydrophenanthrene derivatives. The reaction likely proceeds through consecutive formation of a rhodabicyclo[4.3.0] intermediate, σ‐bond metathesis between the C(sp²)?H bond on the benzene ring and the C(sp²)?Rh^III bond, and isomerization between three σ‐, π‐, and σ‐allylrhodium(III) species, which was proposed based on experiments with deuterated substrates.     

The addition of benzocyclobutenylidene to benzene : The facile rearrangement of spiro[benzocyclobutene-1,7'-cyclohepta-1',3',5'-triene] to 9a,10-dihydrobenz[α]azulene

Thermal decomposition of the sodium salts of benzocyclobutenone tosylhydrazone and 2-methylbenzocyclobutenone tosylhydrazone in benzene affords 9a,10-dihydrobenz[α]azulene 4 and trans-10-methyl-9a, 10-dihydrobenz[α]azulene 3, respectively. A mechanism involving initially the addition of the carbene benzocyclobutenylidene, or its 2-Me derivative, to the benzene ring is postulated. A proposed intermediate in the reaction, spiro [benzocyclobutene 1,7' cyclohepta-1',3',5'-triene] 12 has been synthesised, and shown to give rise to 4 under the reaction conditions. The rate of rearrangement of 12 → 4 has been measured, and the activation energy determined: E_a = 125.9 ± O.8 KJmol^?1 and A = 1.38 × lO¹⁴sec^?1. The mechanism for the rearrangement must involve ring opening of the benzocyclobutene moiety of 12 to give an o- xylylene intermediate which is postulated to possess considerable diradical character. At 71.8 °, this ring opening is 2.7 × 10⁶ times faster than the ring opening of the parent benzocyclobutene molecule. The decomposition of the sodium salt of 2-(7' -cyclohepta-1',3',5' trienyl)benzaldehyde tosylhydrazone has also been investigated and is shown to yield 4a,10-dihydrobenz[α]azulene, 9,10-dihydrobenz[α]azulene and 8,9-benzotricyclo [5.3.0.0^2.10]deca-3,5,8-triene. A mechanism involving intramolecular 1,3-dipolar addition of a diazo grouping to a cycloheptatriene Π-bond, followed by decomposition of the resulting pyrazoline intermediate, is proposed.     

Ring‐opening polymerization of rac‐lactide catalyzed by Al(III) and Zn(II) complexes incorporating Schiff base ligands derived from pyrrole‐2‐carboxaldehyde

A series of Al(III) chloride [LAl‐Cl]; Al(III) alkoxide [LAl‐OR]₂; and Zn(II) [LZn]₂ complexes with Schiff base ligands were obtained. ¹H NMR and X‐ray diffraction studies indicate that [LAl‐Cl] complexes have C_s symmetry and the Al center is penta‐coordinated. The Al(III) alkoxide complex [L⁵Al‐OⁱPr]₂ is a dimer bridged by OⁱPr^? with the Al center in a distorted octahedral environment. Zn complexes [LZn]₂ are double helix dimers with tetra‐coordinated Zn centers. The catalytic activity for the ring‐opening polymerization of rac‐lactide was evaluated. The best activity in this series is shown by the aluminium chloride complex with a flexible three‐carbon bridge; more flexible four‐carbon bridges lower the activity.     

1,4‐Bis(p‐tolyl­ethynyl)benzene

The rod‐like molecule of the title hydro­carbon, C₂₄H₁₈, is centrosymmetric, with the centroid of the central benzene ring residing on an inversion center. The molecules display a planar conformation of the benzene rings and aggregate into stacks along the [010] direction via Csp³—H⋯π(arene) interactions, thus forming a stair‐like pseudo‐two‐dimensional network. Each molecule acts as both a C—H hydrogen donor and a π‐arene acceptor, forming four hydrogen bonds per molecule.     

A novel three‐dimensional copper(II) coordination polymer with 1,4‐bis(1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐ylmeth­yl)benzene and thio­cyanate

In the title complex, poly[copper(II)‐di‐μ₂‐thio­cyanato‐μ₂‐1,4‐bis­(1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐ylmeth­yl)benzene], [Cu(NCS)₂(C₁₂H₁₂N₆)]_n, the Cu^II atom lies on an inversion centre in a tetra­gonally distorted octa­hedral environment. Four N atoms from thio­cyanate and 1,4‐bis­(1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐ylmeth­yl)benzene (bbtz) ligands fill the equatorial positions, and S atoms from symmetry‐related thio­cyanate ligands fill the axial positions. The benzene ring of the bbtz ligand lies about an inversion centre. Single thio­cyanate bridges link the Cu^II atoms into two‐dimensional sheets containing an unprecedented 16‐membered [Cu₄(μ‐NCS‐N:S)₄] ring. The bbtz ligands further link the two‐dimensional sheets into a three‐dimensional network.     

The second triannulenylene: tri-[8]annulenylene

Room-temperature dehydrohalogenation of bromocyclooctatetraene (BrC8H7) with potassium tert-butoxide followed (after a couple of minutes) by alkali metal reduction was used to generate the anion radical of tri-[8]annulenylene [(C8H6*-)3] in HMPA. EPR analysis reveals that the odd electron is primarily located in one of the three eight-membered ring systems, which is rendered planar. Excellent agreement was obtained between spin densities predicted by B3LYP/6-31G* calculations and those observed. The neutral tri-[8]annulenylene system has a propensity toward polymerization, but it can be isolated for NMR and mass spectral analysis via the I2 oxidation of the anion radical. The NMR analysis reveals that two of the eight-membered rings are bent above the plane of the benzene ring and the other is bent below. Tri-[6]annulenylene (triphenylene) is the only other known member of the triannulenylenes.     

Synthesis of a Fullerene Derivative of Benzo[18]crown-6 by Diels-Alder Reaction: Complexation Ability,Amphiphilic Properties,and X-Ray Crystal Structure of a Dimethoxy-1,9-(methano[1,2]benzenomethano)fullerene[60] Benzene Clathrate

A fullerene derivative 1 of benzo[18]crown-6 was obtained by Diels-Alder addition of fullerene[60](C₆₀) to the ortho-quinodimethane prepared in situ from 4,5-bis(bromomethyl)benzo[18]crown-6 ( 3 ) with Bu₄NI in toluene. Extraction experiments show that the complexation of K⁺ ions strongly increases the solubility of 1 in protic solvents like MeOH. Using Langmuir-Blodgett techniques, monolayers of the highly amphiphilic fullerene-derived crown ether 1 and its K⁺ ion complex were prepared. An X-ray crystal structure was obtained from a benzene clathrate of comparison compound 2 , synthesized by Diels-Alder reaction of C₆₀ with the ortho-quinodimethane derived from 1,2-bis(bromomethyl)-4,5-dimethoxybenzene ( 4 ). Both the fullerene molecule 2 and the benzene molecule are fully ordered in a crystal packing which is stabilized by intermolecular van-der-Waals contacts between the benzene ring and the C-spheres, intermolecular C…?C contacts between the C₆₀ moieties, and intermolecular O…?C contacts between the O-atoms of the veratrole moieties and fullerene C-atoms.     

[η6‐1‐Chloro‐2‐(pyrrolidin‐1‐yl)benzene](η5‐cyclopentadienyl)iron(II) hexafluoridophosphate and (η5‐cyclopentadienyl){2‐[η6‐2‐(pyrrolidin‐1‐yl)phenyl]phenol}iron(II) hexafluoridophosphate

In the complex salt [η⁶‐1‐chloro‐2‐(pyrrolidin‐1‐yl)benzene](η⁵‐cyclopentadienyl)iron(II) hexafluoridophosphate, [Fe(C₅H₅)(C₁₀H₁₂ClN)]PF₆, (I), the complexed cyclopentadienyl and benzene rings are almost parallel, with a dihedral angle between their planes of 2.3 (3)°. In a related complex salt, (η⁵‐cyclopentadienyl){2‐[η⁶‐2‐(pyrrolidin‐1‐yl)phenyl]phenol}iron(II) hexafluoridophosphate, [Fe(C₅H₅)(C₁₆H₁₇NO)]PF₆, (II), the analogous angle is 5.4 (1)°. In both complexes, the aromatic C atom bound to the pyrrolidine N atom is located out of the plane defined by the remaining five ring C atoms. The dihedral angles between the plane of these five ring atoms and a plane defined by the N‐bound aromatic C atom and two neighboring C atoms are 9.7 (8) and 5.6 (2)° for (I) and (II), respectively.