Enhancing the Acceptor Character of Conjugated Organoborane Macrocycles: A Highly Electron‐Deficient Hexaboracyclophane

We introduce a new boron‐doped cyclophane, the hexabora[1₆]cyclophane B6‐^FMes , in which six tricoordinate borane moieties alternate with short conjugated p‐phenylene linkers. Exocyclic 2,4,6‐tris(trifluoromethyl)phenyl (^FMes) groups serve not only to further withdraw electron density but at the same time sterically shield the boron atoms, resulting in a macrocycle that is both highly electron‐deficient and stable. The optical and electronic properties are compared with those of related linear oligomers and the electronic structure is further evaluated by computational methods. The studies uncover unique properties of B6‐^FMes , including a low‐lying and extensively delocalized LUMO and a wide HOMO–LUMO gap, which arise from the combination of a cyclic π‐system, strong electronic communication between the closely spaced borons, and the attachment of electron‐deficient pendent groups. The binding of small anions to the electron‐deficient macrocycle and molecular model compounds is investigated and emissive exciplexes are detected in aromatic solvents.     

Boron(II) Cations: Interplay between Lewis‐Pair‐Acceptor and Electron‐Donor Properties

Boron(III) cations are widely used as highly Lewis acidic reagents in synthetic chemistry. In contrast, boron(II) cations are extremely rare and their chemistry almost completely unknown. They are both Lewis acids and electron donors, properties that are commonly associated with catalytically active late‐transition‐metal complexes. This double reactivity pattern ensures a rich and diverse chemistry. Herein we report the facile synthesis of several new boron(II) cations starting with a special diborane with two easily exchangeable triflate substituents. By increasing the π‐acceptor character of the neutral σ‐donor reaction partners, first reactions were developed in which the combined Lewis acidity and electron‐donor properties of boron(II) cations are applied for the reduction of organic molecules. The results of our study pave the way for applications of these unusual compounds in synthetic chemistry.     

Catalytic Regio‐ and Enantioselective Alkylation of Conjugated Dienyl Amides

A method for catalytic asymmetric alkylation of conjugated dienyl amides has been developed and it allows efficient and high‐yielding transformations of a wide range of polyconjugated amides into the corresponding chiral products. Smooth addition of organomagnesium reagents to relatively unreactive dienyl amides with excellent 1,6‐ and 1,4‐selectivities, as well as enantioselectivites above 90 %, is achieved owing to the complementary action of the Lewis acid and a chiral copper‐based catalyst.     

An Electron‐Deficient Porphyrin Tape

Hexakis(pentafluorophenyl)‐substituted meso–meso‐linked Zn^II–diporphyrin ( 9 ), which was prepared by the acid‐catalyzed cross‐condensation of 1,1,2,2‐tetrapyrroethane ( 5 ) with dipyrromethane dicarbinol ( 6 ), was converted into meso–meso,β‐β,β‐β triply linked Zn^II–diporphyrin 3 by oxidation with 2,3‐dichloro‐5,6‐dicyanobenzoquinone (DDQ) and Sc(OTf)₃. Beside the red‐shifted absorption spectrum and split first oxidation potential that are common to the triply‐linked Zn^II–diporphyrins, diporphyrin 3 exhibited considerably improved chemical stability owing to a lowered HOMO and good solubility in common organic solvents. The two‐photon absorption (TPA) cross‐section and S₁‐state lifetime of compound 3 were 1700 GM and 3.3 ps, respectively.     

Highly Air‐Stable Electron‐Transport Material for Ink‐Jet‐Printed OLEDs

A novel cross‐linkable electron‐transport material has been designed and synthesized for use in the fabrication of solution‐processed OLEDs. The material exhibits a low LUMO level of ?3.51 eV, a high electron mobility of 1.5×10^?5 cm² V^?1 s^?1, and excellent stability. An average 9.3 % shrinkage in film thickness was observed for the film after thermal curing. A maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 15.6 % (35.0 cd A^?1) was achieved for blue‐phosphorescent OLEDs by spin‐coating and 13.8 % (31.0 cd A^?1) for an ink‐jet‐printed device, both of which are better than the EQE of a control device prepared by vacuum‐deposition (see figure).     

Trimeric and Tetrameric Electron‐Deficient Porphyrin Tapes

New hybrid porphyrin tapes comprising meso‐3,5‐di‐tert‐butylphenyl‐substituted Zn^II‐porphyrins ( D ) and meso‐pentafluorophenyl‐substituted Zn^II‐porphyrins ( A ) were synthesized via cross‐condensation of meso‐formyl porphyrins 1 , 5 , and 9 with oligopyrromethanes 2 and 6 as key steps. These hybrid tapes exhibit improved solubilities and enhanced chemical stability as compared with original Dn porphyrin tapes, and all display remarkably coplanar structures favorable for π‐conjugation. The absorption spectrum of ADDA displays Q‐like bands at 1400 and 1657 nm with a vibronic structure characteristic of porphyrinoids. The cyclic voltammograms exhibited positively shifted oxidation and reduction waves in the order of DDD < DAD < ADA < AAA . Tetrameric tape ADDA displays five reversible waves in a narrow range of 1.13 V. Two‐photon absorption (TPA) measurement confirmed that the π‐conjugation path is extended from 12 to ADDA and the molecular polarizability of ADA is larger than that of AAA .     

Diborabutatriene: An Electron‐Deficient Cumulene

The complexation of two equivalents of a cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbene (CAAC) to tetrabromodiborane, followed by reduction with four equivalents of sodium naphthalide, led to the formation of the CAAC‐stabilized linear diboracumulene (CAAC)₂B₂. The capacity of the CAAC ligand to facilitate B₂→CAAC donation of π‐electron density resulted in important differences between this species and a previously reported complex featuring a B?B triple bond stabilized by cyclic di(amino)carbenes, including a longer B? B bond and shorter B? C bonds. Frontier orbital analysis indicated sharing of valence electrons across the entire linear C‐B‐B‐C unit in (CAAC)₂B₂, which is supported by natural population analysis and cyclic voltammetry.     

Oligo(borolyl)benzenes—Synthesis and Properties

Herein, we report the synthesis of boroles that are linked by a conjugated phenylene spacer. The characterization of these compounds was completed by NMR and UV/Vis spectroscopy, as well as X‐ray crystal diffraction. Furthermore, the coordination behavior of these oligoboroles towards five electronically and sterically disparate pyridine derivatives was studied and revealed fundamental differences in the properties of the resulting adducts. The experimental results were supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations that showed a charge‐transfer effect upon formation of the pyridine‐4‐carbonitrile adduct. By chemical reduction of a tris(borolyl)‐substituted benzene derivative, a hexaanion was isolated as a result of a two‐electron reduction of each borolyl moiety. The interaction of the borolyl units through the aryl spacer, and the possible increase of the Lewis acidity due to the conjugation of the borolyl moieties, were investigated by base transfer reactions.     

Enhancing the Acceptor Character of Conjugated Organoborane Macrocycles: A Highly Electron-Deficient Hexaboracyclophane

We introduce a new boron-doped cyclophane, the hexabora[1₆]cyclophane B6-^FMes , in which six tricoordinate borane moieties alternate with short conjugated p-phenylene linkers. Exocyclic 2,4,6-tris(trifluoromethyl)phenyl (^FMes) groups serve not only to further withdraw electron density but at the same time sterically shield the boron atoms, resulting in a macrocycle that is both highly electron-deficient and stable. The optical and electronic properties are compared with those of related linear oligomers and the electronic structure is further evaluated by computational methods. The studies uncover unique properties of B6-^FMes , including a low-lying and extensively delocalized LUMO and a wide HOMO–LUMO gap, which arise from the combination of a cyclic π-system, strong electronic communication between the closely spaced borons, and the attachment of electron-deficient pendent groups. The binding of small anions to the electron-deficient macrocycle and molecular model compounds is investigated and emissive exciplexes are detected in aromatic solvents.     

Metal‐Free Hydrogenation Catalyzed by an Air‐Stable Borane: Use of Solvent as a Frustrated Lewis Base

In recent years ‘frustrated Lewis pairs’ (FLPs) have been shown to be effective metal‐free catalysts for the hydrogenation of many unsaturated substrates. Even so, limited functional‐group tolerance restricts the range of solvents in which FLP‐mediated reactions can be performed, with all FLP‐mediated hydrogenations reported to date carried out in non‐donor hydrocarbon or chlorinated solvents. Herein we report that the bulky Lewis acids B(C₆Cl₅)_x(C₆F₅)_3?x (x=0–3) are capable of heterolytic H₂ activation in the strong‐donor solvent THF, in the absence of any additional Lewis base. This allows metal‐free catalytic hydrogenations to be performed in donor solvent media under mild conditions; these systems are particularly effective for the hydrogenation of weakly basic substrates, including the first examples of metal‐free catalytic hydrogenation of furan heterocycles. The air‐stability of the most effective borane, B(C₆Cl₅)(C₆F₅)₂, makes this a practically simple reaction method.     

Dithiazolo[5,4‐b:4′,5′‐d]phosphole: A Highly Luminescent Electron‐Accepting Building Block

A family of highly emissive dithiazolo[5,4‐b:4′,5′‐d]phospholes has been designed and synthesized. The structures of two trivalent P species, as well as their corresponding P oxides, have been confirmed by X‐ray crystallography. The parent dithiazolo[5,4‐b:4′,5′‐d]phosphole oxide exhibits strong blue photoluminescence at λ_em=442 nm, with an excellent quantum yield efficiency of ?_PL=0.81. The photophysical properties of these compounds can be easily tuned by extension of the conjugation and modification of the phosphorus center. Compared with the established dithieno[3,2‐b:2′,3′‐d]phosphole system, the incorporation of electronegative nitrogen atoms leads to significantly lowered frontier orbital energy levels, as validated by both electrochemistry and theoretical calculations, thus suggesting that the dithiazolo[5,4‐b:4′,5′‐d]phospholes are valuable, air‐stable, n‐type conjugated materials. These new building blocks have been further applied to the construction of an extended oligomer with fluorene. Extension of the dithiazolophosphole core with triazole units through click reactions also provides a suitable N,N‐chelating moiety for metal binding and a representative molecular species was successfully used as a selective colorimetric and fluorescent sensor for Cu^II ions.     

Perfluoropentaphenylborole: A New Approach to Lewis Acidic,Electron‐Deficient Compounds

Zirconocene is the key : A new synthetic method, which utilizes zirconocene‐mediated coupling of alkynes, has been developed for the preparation of a new class of highly Lewis acidic boroles (see scheme). Such compounds hold potential for applications in catalysis and the field of electron‐deficient organic materials.

     

Selective N,O‐Addition of the TEMPO Radical to Conjugated Boryldienes

B(C₆F₅)₂‐containing boryldienes 4 underwent the addition of two molar equivalents of TEMPO to give N,O‐bonded four‐membered heterocyclic products 7 . The reaction is a metal‐free example of the generation of reactive nitrogen‐centered TEMPO radical derivatives, in this case by the addition of TEMPO to the borane, followed by carbon–nitrogen bond formation and subsequent trapping of the resulting allyl radical by the second equivalent of TEMPO.     

Synthesis and Structure of an Extremely Air‐Stable Binuclear Hafnocene Perfluorooctanesulfonate Complex and Its Use in Lewis Acid‐Catalyzed Reactions

Stable complexes : An extremely air‐stable μ²‐hydroxy‐bridged binuclear hafonocene perfluorooctanesulfoante complex shows high catalytic efficiency in Lewis acid‐catalyzed reactions, such as esterification, Friedel–Crafts acylation, the Mukaiyama aldol reation, and the allylation of aldehyde (see scheme).

     

Highly E‐Selective and Enantioselective Michael Addition to Electron‐Deficient Internal Alkynes Under Chiral Iminophosphorane Catalysis

A highly E‐selective and enantioselective conjugate addition of 2‐benzyloxythiazol‐5(4H)‐ones to β‐substituted alkynyl N‐acyl pyrazoles is achieved under the catalysis of a P‐spiro chiral iminophosphorane. Simultaneous control of the newly generated central chirality and olefin geometry is possible with a wide array of the alkynyl Michael acceptors possessing different aromatic and aliphatic β‐substituents, as well as the various α‐amino acid‐derived thiazolone nucleophiles. This protocol provides access to structurally diverse, optically active α‐amino acids bearing a geometrically defined trisubstituted olefinic component at the α‐position.     

Inherent Stability Limits of Intramolecular Boron Nitrogen Lewis Acid–Base Pairs

The reaction of (C₆F₅)₂BH ( 1 ) with N,N‐dimethylallylamine ( 2 ), N,N‐diethylallylamine ( 3 ) and 1‐allylpiperidine ( 4 ) afforded the five‐membered ring systems (C₆F₅)₂B(CH₂)₃NR₂ (R=Me ( 5 ), Et ( 6 )) and (C₆F₅)₂B(CH₂)₃N(CH₂)₅ ( 7 ) with an intramolecular dative B? N bond. A different product was obtained from the reaction of (C₆F₅)₂BH ( 1 ) with N,N‐diisopropylallylamine ( 8 ), which afforded the seven‐membered ring system (C₆F₅)₂B(CH₂)₃N(iPr)CH(Me)CH₂ ( 9 ) under extrusion of dihydrogen. All compounds were characterised by elemental analysis, NMR spectroscopy and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction experiments. Density functional theory (DFT) studies were performed to rationalise the different reaction mechanism for the formation of products 6 and 9 . The bonding situation of compound 9 was analysed in terms of its electron density topology to describe the delocalised nature of a borane– enamine adduct.