Synthesis and characterization of novel imidazolium-based ionic discotic liquid crystals with a triphenylene moiety

Two novel triphenylene-tethered imidazolium salts were synthesized either by the quaternization of 1-methylimidazole with an ω-bromo-substituted triphenylene or by the quaternization of a triphenylene-substituted imidazole with methyl iodide. Their chemical structures were determined by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, IR, UV spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The thermotropic liquid crystalline properties of these salts were investigated by polarizing optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. These triphenylene-based imidazolium salts with bromide or iodide as counterion show columnar mesophase properties over a wide temperature range.     

Effects of alkyl chain length and anion size on thermal and structural properties for 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorocomplex salts (C(x)MImAF6, x = 14, 16 and 18; A = P, As, Sb, Nb and Ta)

A series of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorocomplex salts (C(x)MImAF(6), x = 14, 16 and 18, A = P, As, Sb, Nb and Ta) have been characterized by thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction and polarized optical microscopy. A liquid crystalline mesophase is observed for all the C(16)MIm and C(18)MIm salts. The C(14)MIm(+) cation gives a liquid crystalline mesophase only with PF(6)(-). The temperature range of the liquid crystalline mesophase increases with an increase in alkyl chain length or with decrease in anion size. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction revealed that all the C(18)MImAF(6) salts (A = P, As, Sb, Nb and Ta) are isostructural with each other in the crystalline phase and have a layered structure. The interdigitated alkyl chain of the cation has a bent shape like a spoon near the imidazolium ring in the crystalline phase at -100 °C and is tilted with respect to the sheets of the imidazolium headgroups and anions. An increase of temperature increases the ratio of an all-trans conformation to the bent conformation in the crystalline phase. X-ray diffraction and polarized optical microscopy suggested that the liquid crystalline mesophase has a smectic A(2) structure. The interlayer distance increases with a decrease in the anion size since the smaller anion has a stronger coulombic interaction with the imidazolium headgroup, resulting in the decrease of the interdigitated part to give a larger layer spacing.     

分子间作用力对咪唑盐介晶相性质的影响

通过对咪唑环1位(N1)取代烷基、3位(N3)取代基及阴离子的修饰合成了一系列具有近晶A (SmA)相的咪唑类离子液晶. 利用差示扫描量热法、单晶衍射、小角度X射线衍射等手段研究了咪唑盐的介晶相温度范围、介晶态的结构, 并测量了部分咪唑盐的各向异性导电率. 结果表明, 咪唑环N1取代烷基、N3取代基及咪唑盐的阴离子会改变分子间范德华力和氢键, 从而对咪唑盐的介晶相性质产生影响. 此外, 当乙烯基引入到咪唑环N3位置时, 咪唑盐相邻的层结构之间形成π-π堆积作用, 不仅有利于介晶态的形成, 同时使氟硼酸类离子液晶具有最大的层间距和最小的各向异性导电率. 这一结果表明, 调控离子液晶的性质时必须综合考虑各种分子间作用力的影响.     

Ionic Bent Shape Ternary Facial Amphiphiles

Novel bent shape tenary facial amphiphilic imidazolium ILC which consist of a π‐conjugated bent aromatic cores (2,5‐dithiophenylethynyl phenyl bent core), two terminal poliphilic alkyl chains and lateral n‐alky chain terminated by an imidazolium bromide unit were synthesized by using Kumada and Sonogashira coupling reactions as key steps and both their thermotropic and lyotropic mesophase behaviors were studied by POM, DSC and XRD. Columnar phases were found in these compounds, a hexagonal cylinder model with core shell structure is supposed for the columnar phase formed by compound I/8 . Our study may provide a new strategy for designing new LC functional material.     

Synthesis of bis(polyfluoroalkylated)imidazolium salts as key intermediates for fluorous NHC ligands

1,3-Bis(polyfluoroalkyl)- and 1-mesityl-3-(polyfluoroalkyl)imidazolium salts differing in the length of a polyfluorinated chain and a non-fluorinated spacer were synthesized as key building blocks for fluorous NHC (N-heterocyclic carbene) ligands. A new approach using polyfluoroalkyl triflates instead of the corresponding iodides was employed allowing fine tailoring of fluorous properties, as well as of the electron density of the imidazolium ring. Using bis(polyfluoroalkylated)imidazolium salt, a fluorous analogue of the PEPPSI™ catalyst was synthesized and its structure confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The catalyst was employed in model Heck and Suzuki couplings with moderate yields, however, its recycle was not successful. Fluorophilicity of bis(polyfluoroalkylated)imidazolium salts was found to be surprisingly low compared with the analogous perfluoropolyether-based salts.     

Luminescent Ionic Liquid Crystals from Self‐Assembled BODIPY Disulfonate and Imidazolium Frameworks

A series of modular mesogenic salts based on the combination of anionic 4,4‐difluoro‐4‐bora‐3a,4a‐diaza‐s‐indacene (F‐BODIPY) 2,6‐disulfonate dyes and trialkoxybenzyl‐functionalised imidazolium cations has been designed and synthesised. Each salt contains a rigid dianionic BODIPY core associated with two imidazolium cations functionalised by 1,2,3‐trialkoxybenzyl (alkyl=n‐C₈, n‐C₁₂ or n‐C₁₆) units or, in one case, with imidazolium cations functionalised by a trialkylgallate (3,4,5‐trialkoxybenzoate) unit in which the 3,5‐dialkyl groups are terminated with a polymerisable acrylate entity. All these compounds were highly fluorescent in solution with quantum yields ranging from 54 to 62 %. In the solid state, the width of the emission band observed at around 650 nm is a clear signature of aggregation. With the trialkoxybenzylimidazolium cations, polarised optical microscopy (POM) and X‐ray scattering experiments showed that columnar mesophases were formed. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies confirmed the mesomorphic behaviour from room temperature to about 130 °C for salts with alkyl chains containing 8, 12 and 16 carbon atoms. The strong luminescence of the BODIPY unit was maintained in the mesophase and fluorescence measurements confirmed the presence of J aggregates in all cases. The salt containing the gallate‐functionalised imidazolium cations showed no mesomorphism but the acrylate terminal units could be used to engender photoinitiated polymerisation thereby allowing the material to be immobilised on glass plates. The polymerisation process was followed by FTIR spectroscopy and the fixed and patterned films were highly fluorescent with a solid‐state emission close to that of the complex in the solid state.     

Syntheses and mesomorphic properties of novel triphenylene liquid crystals with 15-crown-5 unit as side-chain

Two novel triphenylene liquid crystals with 15-crown-5 unit as side-chain 4a and 4b were designed and synthesised by simple procedures in ideal yields. Their structures were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H NMR), electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and elemental analysis. Their liquid-crystalline behaviours before and after complexation with metallic salts were studied by differential scanning calorimetry, polarising optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Neat compounds 4a and 4b show mesophase with triphenylene column, while complexes of 4a and 4b with metallic salts exhibit no mesophase but higher melting point.     

Ionic Liquid Crystals Derived from Amino Acids

Novel chiral amino acid derived ionic liquid crystals with amine and amide moieties as spacers between the imidazolium head group and the alkyl chain were synthesised. The key step in the synthesis utilised the relatively uncommon SO₃ leaving group in a microwave‐assisted reaction. The mesomorphic properties of the mesogens were determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarising optical microscopy (POM) and X‐ray diffraction. All liquid crystalline salts exhibit a smectic A mesophase geometry with strongly interdigitated bilayer structures. An increase of the steric bulk of the stereogenic centre hindered the formation of mesophases. In case of phenylalanine‐derived derivatives a mesomorphic behaviour was observed for shorter alkyl chains as compared to other amino acid derivatives indicating an additional stabilising effect by the phenyl moiety.     

Fluorinated Analogues of Lepidilines A and C: Synthesis and Screening of Their Anticancer and Antiviral Activity

Starting with fluorinated benzylamines, a series of 2-unsubstituted imidazole N-oxides was prepared and subsequently deoxygenated in order to prepare the corresponding imidazoles. The latter were treated with benzyl halides yielding imidazolium salts, which are considered fluorinated analogues of naturally occurring imidazolium alkaloids known as lepidilines A and C. A second series of oxa-lepidiline analogues was obtained by O-benzylation of the initially synthetized imidazole N-oxides. Both series of imidazolium salts were tested as anticancer and antiviral agents. The obtained results demonstrated that the introduction of a fluorine atom, fluoroalkyl or fluoroalkoxy substituents (F, CF₃ or OCF₃) amplifies cytotoxic properties, whereas the cytotoxicity of some fluorinated lepidilines is promising in the context of drug discovery. All studied compounds revealed a lack of antiviral activity against the investigated viruses in the nontoxic concentrations.     

Synthesis and properties of new tetrachlorocobaltate (II) and tetrachloromanganate (II) anion salts with dicationic counterions

New tetrachlorocobaltate (II) and tetrachloromanganate (II) ionic compounds containing various counterdications were synthesized and characterized. These salts are soluble in polar solvents such as methanol and water. Physical properties such as thermal stability, melting point, and magnetic susceptibility of these salts depend on the cation or anion structure. The thermal stability of the phosphinium or imidazolium based salts is higher than that of the pyridinium or triethylaminonium analogues. The melting point of these compounds is following the order of triphenylphosphinium > pyridinium > imidazolium dications, and symmetrical dicationic salts > unsymmetrical ones. The magnetic susceptibility (χ_MT values) of tetrachloromanganate (II) anions-based salts is higher than that of tetrachlorocobaltate (II) anions-based salts. These dicationic salts exhibit weak antiferromagnetic interactions and have higher magnetic susceptibility than that of the previously reported tetrachloromanganate (II) and tetrachlorocobaltate(II) salts with monocationic counterion.     

Palladium complexes with ethylene-bridged bis(N-heterocyclic carbene) for C-C coupling reactions

A series of new ethylene-bridged bis(imidazolium) halides with various N-substitutions were synthesized. Complexation of these imidazolium halides with Pd(OAc)₂ produced new Pd(II) ethylene-bridged bis(carbene) complexes. Crystallographic analyses of some of the new imidazolium salts and Pd(II) complexes were determined. Applications of these seven-member palladacycles in Suzuki and Heck coupling reactions produced comparable catalytic activities to those of six-member analogs.     

Synthesis of novel spiro imidazolium salts as chiral ionic liquids

A library of 13 novel chiral spiro imidazolium salts has been synthesized. The effects of N-substituents and counteranions on the melting point of spiro bis(imidazolium) salts are studied in efforts toward the development of room temperature chiral ionic liquids.     

Recent application of acidic 1,3-azolium salts as promoters in the solution-phase synthesis of nucleosides and nucleotides

Acidic 1,3-azolium salts are prepared from Brønsted acids and 1,3-azoles such as imidazole, thiazole, and oxazole. Acidic imidazolium salts are frequently employed as promoters for the synthesis of nucleotides using the phosphoramidite method in a solution phase. Recently, it was revealed that thiazolium and oxazolium salts catalyzed Vorbrüggen-type N-glycosylation reactions to give nucleosides. These reactivities are attributed to the stronger Brønsted acidities of the thiazolium and oxazolium salts relative to those of the imidazolium salts. This digest focuses on recent progress in the applicability of acidic 1,3-azolium salts as promoters in the solution-phase synthesis of nucleosides and nucleotides.     

Synthesis and application of chiral N-heterocyclic carbene-oxazoline ligands: iridium-catalyzed enantioselective hydrogenation

Two libraries of enantiomerically pure imidazolium salts bearing an oxazoline unit were synthesized. Deprotonation of the imidazolium salts and complexation of the resulting oxazoline-carbene ligands to iridium(I) was achieved in one step by mixing the imidazolium salts with NaOtBu and [(eta(4)-cod)IrCl](2) in THF at room temperature. The air-stable complexes were purified by flash chromatography. All complexes were analyzed by two-dimensional (2D) NMR methods and one compound from each family was characterized by X-ray structure analysis. The two libraries of iridium complexes were successfully tested in the asymmetric hydrogenation of unfunctionalized and functionalized olefins. Enantioselectivities of up to 90 % ee were obtained with trans-alpha-methylstilbene. Upon complexation of imidazolium salt 15 p with R(1) = phenyl, C-H bond activation of the phenyl ring gave rise to iridium(III) complex 17, which was fully characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray structure analysis. Complex 17 proved to be catalytically inactive in the hydrogenation.     

T-shaped ionic liquid crystals based on the imidazolium motif: exploring substitution of the C-2 imidazolium carbon atom

In this contribution the first examples of so‐called rigid‐core, T‐shaped imidazolium ionic liquid crystals, in which the C‐2 atom of the imidazolium ring is substituted with an aryl moiety decorated with one or two alkoxy chains, are described. The length of the alkoxy chain(s) was varied from six to eighteen carbon atoms (n=6, 10, 14–18). Whereas the compounds with one long alkoxy chain display only smectic A phases, the salts containing two alkoxy chains exhibit smectic A, multicontinuous cubic, as well as hexagonal columnar phases, as evidenced by polarising optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and powder X‐ray diffraction. Structural models are proposed for the self‐assembly of the molecules within the mesophases. The imidazolium head groups and the iodide counterions were found to adopt a peculiar orientation in the central part of the columns of the hexagonal columnar phases. The enantiotropic cubic phase shown by the 1,3‐dimethyl‐2‐[3,4‐bis(pentadecyloxy)phenyl]imidazolium iodide salt has a multicontinuous Pm$\bar 3In this contribution the first examples of so-called rigid-core, T-shaped imidazolium ionic liquid crystals, in which the C-2 atom of the imidazolium ring is substituted with an aryl moiety decorated with one or two alkoxy chains, are described. The length of the alkoxy chain(s) was varied from six to eighteen carbon atoms (n=6, 10, 14-18). Whereas the compounds with one long alkoxy chain display only smectic A phases, the salts containing two alkoxy chains exhibit smectic A, multicontinuous cubic, as well as hexagonal columnar phases, as evidenced by polarising optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and powder X-ray diffraction. Structural models are proposed for the self-assembly of the molecules within the mesophases. The imidazolium head groups and the iodide counterions were found to adopt a peculiar orientation in the central part of the columns of the hexagonal columnar phases. The enantiotropic cubic phase shown by the 1,3-dimethyl-2-[3,4-bis(pentadecyloxy)phenyl]imidazolium iodide salt has a multicontinuous Pm ?3m structure. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of a thermotropic cubic mesophase of this symmetry.     

Thermal degradation studies of alkyl-imidazolium salts and their application in nanocomposites

Increasing the thermal stability of organically-modified layered silicates is one of the key points in the successful technical application of polymer-layered silicate nanocomposites on the industrial scale. To circumvent the detrimental effect of the lower thermal stability of alkyl ammonium-treated montmorillonite, a series of alkyl-imidazolium molten salts were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, thermogravimetry (TGA) and thermal desorption mass spectroscopy (TDMS). The effect of counter ion, alkyl chain length and structural isomerism on the thermal stability of the imidazolium salts was investigated. Alkyl-imidazolium-treated montmorillonite clays were prepared by ion exchange of the imidazolium salts with Na-montmorillonite. These organically-modified clays were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), TDMS and thermogravimetry coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TGA-FTIR), and compared to the conventional quaternary alkyl ammonium montmorillonite. Results indicate that the counter ion has an effect on the thermal stability of the imidazolium salts, and that imidazolium salts with PF₆⁻, N(SO₂CF₃)₂⁻ and BF₄⁻ anions are thermally more stable than the halide salts. A relationship was observed between the chain length of the alkyl group and the thermo-oxidative stability; as the chain length increased from propyl, butyl, decyl, hexadecyl, octadecyl to eicosyl, the stability decreased. The results also show that the imidazolium-treated montmorillonite has greater thermal stability compared to the imidazolium halide. Analysis of the decomposition products by FTIR provides an insight about the decomposition products which are water, carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons.     

Kinetic acidity of supramolecular imidazolium salts-effects of substituent, preorientation, and counterions on H/D exchange rates

The deprotonation of imidazolium salts to N-heterocyclic carbenes is often a decisive step in modern catalytic reactions. Therefore, we studied the H/D exchange of the C2 H of 15 imidazolium-substituted calix[4]arenes and 11 nonmacrocyclic model compounds in methanol/water (97:3). The influence of the counterion, substitution directly on the imidazolium unit or on the preorientating calixarene backbone could be studied. The observed exchange rates might give a rational for the suitability of the imidazolium salts as precursors in the Suzuki coupling.     

Cross—Coupling of Aryl Iodides with Malononitrile Catalyzed by Palladium N—Heterocyclic Carbene Complex System

Eight N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHC),generated in situ from their imidazolium salts,as ligands of palladium complexes were used for the catalytic coupling of iodobenzene with malononi-trile anion,It was found that 1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-imidazolium chloride (IMesHCl)-Pd2(dba)3 catalytic system has the highest activity to obtain phenyl malononitrile among the imidazolium salts.The substituted iodoarenes reacted with malononitrile anions by using the catalytic system to give cross-coupling products in yields from 50% to 96%.     

A modular synthesis of chiral aminoindanol-derived imidazolium salts

A modular synthesis of N-substituted chiral imidazolium salts derived from (1R,2S)-(+)-1-amino-2-indanol is described. A wide range of amines are amenable to late stage introduction of the N-substituent to provide N-aryl, N-alkyl, and N-amino imidazolium salts, which serve as precursors to chiral N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs). A multi-gram synthesis of the N-mesityl derivative provides an important imidazolium salt for ongoing studies aimed at the development and understanding of NHC-catalyzed annulations. Critical to the success of this synthetic strategy is a chemoselective alkylation, 6-exo-tet ring closure of a formamide onto an epoxide, and a heterocyclic interconversion strategy.     

N-heterocyclic carbenes: III. N-heterocyclic carbene ligands based on abietane in Suzuki-Miyaura reaction

By reactions of N-alkyl- and N-arylimidazoles with methyl 12-bromoacetyldehydroabietate a series of unsymmetrically substituted chiral imidazolium bromides with the abietane fragment was synthesized. The salts obtained were suggested as new N-heterocyclic carbene ligands in the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction.