Dinitro and quinodimethane derivatives of terthiophene that can be both oxidized and reduced. Crystal structures,spectra, and a method for analyzing quinoid contributions to structure

Two new oligothiophenes, the dinitro compound 3',4'-dibutyl-5,5' '-dinitro-2,2':5',2' '-terthiophene (1) and the quinodimethane 3',4'-dibutyl-5,5' '-bis(dicyanomethylene)-5,5' '-dihydro-2,2':5',2' '-terthiophene (2), have been synthesized and studied with electrochemistry, UV-vis-NIR-IR spectroscopy, ESR, and X-ray crystallography. These compounds, designed to be both electron and hole carriers, show redox properties that are unusual for oligothiophenes. Cyclic voltammetry and spectroelectrochemistry demonstrated that each compound could be oxidized to a cation radical and reduced to an anion radical and dianion. The spectra of 2 and its three redox partners were analyzed in terms of a limiting structure in which the neutral 2 has orbitals corresponding to those of a substituted-terthiophene dication. Compound 1 crystallizes with the thiophene rings held in an unusual nonplanar, cisoid configuration in face-to-face pi-stacks, with a spacing between molecules of 3.65 A. The C-C bond lengths of the outer nitro-substituted rings have quinoid character. Compound 2 crystallizes with the thiophene rings in a planar, transoid configuration. The molecules are held in pi-stacks formed from pi-dimers with a spacing between molecules of 3.47 and 3.63 A. The C-C bond distances of the thiophene rings of 1 and 2 and other oligomers were analyzed by a principal component analysis. The analysis found that 93% of the structural variance resided in one principal component related to the quinoid structure of the oligothiophene moiety. The analysis reliably demonstrated a quinoid contribution to the structure of 1. This method should be applicable to understanding the structure of other conjugated molecules in which quinoid structures contribute.     

Density functional theory study of the structure and energetics of negatively charged oligopyrroles

First‐principles calculations are used to investigate the electronic properties of negatively charged n‐pyrrole oligomers with n = 2–18. Chains of neutral oligomers are bent, whereas the negatively charged oligomers become almost planar due to accumulation of negative charge at the end monomers. Isomers of short oligomers (n < 6) display negative electron affinity although the corresponding anions are energetically stable. For longer oligomers with n ≥ 6, the electron affinity is small and positive, slowly increasing with oligopyrrole length. Doping of 12‐pyrrole with lithium atoms shows that negative oxidation states are possible due to electron transfer from dopant to oligomer at locations close to dopant. These 12‐pyrrole regions support extra negative charge and exhibit a local structural change from benzenoid to quinoid structure in the C? C backbone conjugation. Comparison between neutral and doped polypyrrole (PPy) indicates that doped polymers displays a substantial depletion of the band gap energy and the appearance of dopant‐based bands in the gap for a 50% per monomer doping level. It is predicted that Li‐doped PPy is not metallic. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

A semiempirical study of heterocycle oligomers and polymers in different dielectric media

Four common five-membered heterocycles—pyrrole, phosphole, thiophene, and furan—and their oligomers with the chain length of 2, 4, 6, and 10 units have been studied quantum chemically using the semiempirical PM 3 parameterization. The oligomers of pyrrole and phosphole with the homolytically dissociated N? H bond and P? H bond, respectively, and oligomers of thiophene and furan with one electron removed per monomer unit (4n + 2 π-electron bipolaron systems) have also been studied. The electronic properties of the respective polymers were extrapolated from the oligomer data. Bulk polymer effects on the electronic structure were modeled using the self-consistent reaction field theory in the multicavity approximation (MC a SCRF ). © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The direction of the dipole moments of furan,thiophen, and pyrrole: A controversial question

The report that the dipole moment in the five-membered heterocyclic rings, furan, thiophene, and pyrrole has the positive pole on the heteroatom is contradicted with arguments based on reactivity data, theoretical calculations and moment values of substituted derivatives. In actuality, the dipole moment in furan and thiophene is directed from the ring (positive pole) to the heteroatom (negative pole).     

Theoretical modeling of the doping process in polypyrrole by calculating UV/Vis absorption spectra of neutral and charged oligomers

Changes in absorption spectra during doping of oligopyrroles were investigated with time-dependent density functional theory on optimized structures of neutral, singly, and doubly charged pyrrole oligomers with up to 24 rings. In the absence of counterions, defects are delocalized. Counterions induce localization. For dications two polarons on the same chain are preferred over a bipolaron. Intragap absorptions arise in charged species, no matter whether defects are localized or delocalized. Cations and dications give rise to two sub-band transitions. The cation peaks have lower energies than those of dications. The first excitations of cations have lower oscillator strengths than the second; for dications the second peak is weaker than the first. For very long oligomers, the second sub-band absorption vanishes and a third one appears at higher energy. The behavior of pyrrole oligomers is analogous to that of thiophene oligomers. Theoretical UV spectra for cations and dications of short oligomers (six to eight rings) match experimental spectra of polypyrrole at low and at high doping levels, respectively. The error in the theoretical calculations is about 0.4 eV, slightly larger than for thiophene oligomers at the same level of theory.     

Computational atomistic blueprinting of novel conducting copolymers using particle swarm optimization

A proficient metaheuristic approach viz., particle swarm optimization coupled with negative factor counting technique and inverse iteration method has been employed for designing novel binary and ternary copolymers based on thiophene, pyrrole and furan skeletons. A comparative study of the electronic structures and conduction properties of neutral heterocyclic copolymers and their benzene substituted analogues is inferred using the band structure results derived from ab-initio Hartree–Fock crystal orbital calculations. The band gap value decreases as a result of substitution on the polymer backbone due to increased quinoid contributions which is expected to enhance the intrinsic conductivity of the resulting copolymers. In general, it has been found that HOMO energies have a more decisive influence than LUMO energies on the relative fraction of constituents of the respective low band gap copolymers. The trends in the electronic properties of the respective copolymers are also verified and discussed with the help of density of states. These results can help streamline scrupulous synthetic efforts providing a potent route for molecular engineering of sustainable and efficient electronic materials.     

Furan-containing conjugated polymers for organic solar cells

Development of organic semiconductors is one of the most intriguing and productive topics in material science and engineering. Many efforts have been made on the synthesis of aromatic building blocks such as benzene, thiophene and pyrrole due to the facile preparation accompanied by the intrinsic environmental stability and relatively efficient properties of the resulting polymers. In the past, furan has been less explored in this field because of its high oxidation potential. Recently, furan has attracted obsession due to its weaker aromaticity, the greater solubilities of furan-containing π-conjugated polymers relative to other benzenoid systems and the accessibility of furan-based starting materials from renewable resources. This review elaborates the advancements of organic photovoltaic polymers containing furan building blocks. The uniqueness and advantages of furan-containing building blocks in semiconducting materials are also discussed.     

现场拉曼光谱研究聚吡咯的去质子化和氧化降解

利用电化学现场拉曼光谱结合循环伏安法,研究了中性和碱性溶液中聚吡咯（ＰＰＹ）膜的行为及其结构．结果表明,氧化态ＰＰＹ中吡咯环Ｎ原子上的Ｈ失去发生去质子化,形成一种醌式结构．由于该醌式结构的出现使ＰＰＹ的Ｃ＝Ｃ伸缩振动峰发生分裂,且因该醌式结构不能被进一步氧化,以致ｐＨ值增大,去质子化程度提高,ＰＰＹ变得较难被氧化,而使其可逆性也受到一定程度的破坏,在ｐＨ＝１３的强碱性溶液中,ＰＰＹ膜在正于ＯＶ的电位区间内发生降解,该降解过程可能涉及到ＰＰＹ的吡咯环单元结构的破坏．     

Analysis of polyaniline oligomers by laser desorption ionization and solventless MALDI

While direct laser desorption ionization of soluble polyaniline dried onto metal sample plates results in mass spectra that are similar to previously shown electrospray ionization data of similar samples, laser desorption of unsolubilized solid polyaniline results in major fragmentation of the phenyl rings. Solventless MALDI, a recently developed technique for insoluble or slightly soluble species, involves the use of only solid analyte and matrix during sample preparation. Solventless MALDI of solid polyaniline results in mass spectra that are similar to the direct laser desorption ionization spectra of the soluble oligomers with some larger molecular weight oligomers also being detected. Based on the matrix used, different series of polyaniline with dissimilar end groups are detected. The matrix also affects the percentages of benzenoid and quinoid units in the oligomers. Thus, solventless MALDI appears to be a promising new technique for the mass spectrometric analysis of low solubility, but industrially important, polyanilines.     

A combined ab initio and semi-empirical study on the theoretical vibrational spectra and physical properties of polypyrrole

This study concentrates on the important conducting polymer, polypyrrole. Detailed atomistic molecular models have been developed with the help of ab initio and semi-empirical quantum mechanical calculations.The vibrational spectra of isolated pyrrole monomers and oligomers from n=1 and 2, where n is the number of structural repeat units used, have been computed using the ab initio 3-21G basis set. The results obtained are compared with data for the case of oligomers with n=2–5 for both neutral benzenoid and quinonoid oligopyrroles, from semi-empirical predictions obtained by AM1 and PM3. The trends in the computed harmonic force fields, vibrational frequencies and intensities are monitored as a function of the chain length. The data are analysed in conjunction with the trends in computed equilibrium geometries.Also the examination of the heat of formation of these two degenerate forms (quinonoid and benzenoid) has been conducted with respect to increases in the number of rings and the change of methods from AM1 to PM3.     

General synthesis of extended fused oligothiophenes consisting of an even number of thiophene rings

The intramolecular double cyclization of bis(3-bromo-2-thienyl)acetylenes though a lithium-halogen exchange reaction with tBuLi followed by treatment with elemental sulfur produces two thiophene-fused thieno[3,2-c](1,2-dithiin)s. The subsequent dechalcogenation from the 1,2-dithiins with copper nanopowder affords tetrathienoacenes. On the basis of this two-step procedure, a series of trialkylsilyl-terminated, fused oligothiophenes, including hexathienoacene (a six thiophene-fused system) and octathienoacene (an eight thiophene-fused system), were synthesized. In the UV/Vis absorption and fluorescence spectra of the fused oligothiophenes, the absorption and emission maxima shift to longer wavelengths, as the pi-conjugation length increases. Their maximum wavenumbers have linear relationships with the reciprocal number of thiophene rings consisting of the pi-conjugated frameworks. In the cyclic voltammograms, all the compounds show reversible oxidation waves, the first oxidation potential of which shifts to less positive as the conjugation length increases. Among them, the octathienoacene also shows a reversible second oxidation process. Indeed, its chemical oxidation with an excess amount of NO(+)SbF(6) (-) produces the dication as a golden crystal. The crystal structures of the neutral octathienoacene and its dication were determined by X-ray crystallography. While in the neutral state, the octathienoacene has a benzenoid structure with a large bond alternation of about 0.04 A, its dication has a quinoid structure in which two cationic charges are mainly localized on the terminal rings.     

Triplet states of furan,thiophene, and pyrrole

Low-lying triplet electronic states have been detected in furan, thiophene, and pyrrole by the method of variable-angle, electron-impact spectroscopy. Singlet → triplet transitions occur with maximum intensity at 3.99 eV and 5.22 eV in furan, 3.75 eV and 4.62 eV in thiophene, and 4.21 eV in pyrrole. A weak transition at 5.22 eV in pyrrole is assigned as the lowest observed singlet → singlet excitation in that molecule.     

Ab initio theoretical study of non-covalent adsorption of aromatic molecules on boron nitride nanotubes

We have studied non-covalent functionalization of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) with benzene molecule and with seven other different heterocyclic aromatic rings (furan, thiophene, pyrrole, pyridine, pyrazine, pyrimidine, and pyridazine, respectively). A hybrid density functional theory (DFT) method with the inclusion of dispersion correction is employed. The structural and electronic properties of the functionalized BNNTs are obtained. The DFT calculation shows that upon adsorption to the BNNT, the center of aromatic rings tend to locate on top of the nitrogen site. The trend of adsorption energy for the aromatic rings on the BNNTs shows marked dependence on different intermolecular interactions, including the dispersion interaction (area of the delocalized π bond), the dipole-dipole interaction (polarization), and the electrostatic repulsion (lone pair electrons). The DFT calculation also shows that non-covalent functionalization of BNNTs with aromatic rings can give rise to new impurity states within the band gap of pristine BNNTs, suggesting possible carrier doping of BNNTs via selective adsorption of aromatic rings.     

Reaction of ozone with five-membered hetarenes in a liquid phase

Oxidation of pyrrole, furan, and thiophene by ozone in a solution of glacial acetic acid was studied. Peroxide compounds, which are, presumably, dimers of linear structure, were found as primary products. The kinetics of ozonolytic reactions with five-membered hetarenes was examined, and rate constants and experimental stoichiometric coefficients for ozone were determined.     

C-Phosphorylation of Electron-Rich Heterocycles

Abstract

C-phosphorylation of pyrrole, furan, thiophene derivatives and their benzanalogs by phosphorus tribromide has been studied. Perspective methods for involving trivalent phosphorus residues at a different position of the rings have been developed. Unknown early the heterocycle's derivatives with tri- and tetracoordinated phosphorus substituents (1–5) and novel types of phosphoruscontaining heterocycles (6,7) have been obtained.     

meso-substituted aromatic 34pi core-modified octaphyrins: syntheses,characterization and anion binding properties

Modified octaphyrins with 34pi electrons have been synthesized and characterized following a simple synthetic methodology. An acid-catalyzed alpha,alpha coupling of tetrapyrranes containing furan, thiophene and selenophene rings resulted in the formation of the respective octaphyrins in relatively good yield. Solution studies by (1)H NMR and 2D NMR methods and single crystal Xray structural characterization reveal an almost flat structure with two heterocyclic rings inverted. Specifically, in 14 two selenophene rings (one on each biselenophene unit) are inverted while in 15 two furan rings (one on each bifuran unit) are inverted when the meso substituent are mesityl groups. On changing the mesityl substituent to m-xylyl group as in 19, the location of ring inversion shifts to pyrrole rings (one on each bipyrrole unit) indicating the dependence of structure on the meso substituents. UV/Vis studies, both in freebase and protonated forms reveal typical porphyrinic character and the aromatic nature of the octaphyrins. The Deltadelta values evaluated by (1)H NMR spectroscopy also support their aromatic nature. The protonated forms of octaphyrins bind TFA anion in a 1:2 ratio. The TFA anions are located one above and below the plane of the octaphyrin macrocycle and they are held by weak electrostatic NH-O interactions similar to that observed for protonated rubyrins. However, in the present case, there is an additional non-electrostatic CH-O interaction involving beta-CH of the inverted heterocyclic ring and the carbonyl oxygen of the TFA. Furthermore, inter molecular interactions between the Cbond;H of the meso-mesityl group and the fluorine of CF(3) group of bound TFA leads to the formation of one-dimensional supramolecular arrays with interplanar distance of 13 A between two octaphyrins.     

Efficient Synthesis of Alkyl End‐Capped Oligoheterocycles via the Use of Palladacycle Catalyst

The preparation of mixed thiophene/furan oligomers with alkyl groups at α,α′‐position by the method which we discovered recently in our lab is presented. Thus, the mixed thiophene/furan oligomers can be prepared in good yields from monoiodoarene in the presence of 5 mol % of palladacycle catalyst and 1.2 equiv of N,N‐diisopropylethylamine in DMF at 100°C for 8 h.     

The Elusive beta-unsubstituted calix[5]pyrrole finally captured

[reaction: see text] The meso-decamethyl-calix[5]pyrrole 2b was synthesized from the furan-based analogue 1b via the homologation of the furan rings to pyrrole, and its solid-state structure was determined by X-ray crystallography: surprisingly, the binding constant of 2b toward chloride is found to be lower than that of the tetrameric analogue 2a.     

Synthesis of a series of aromatic benziporphyrins and heteroanalogues via tripyrrane-like intermediates derived from resorcinol and 2-methylresorcinol

Tripyrrane analogues were prepared by reacting resorcinol or 2-methylresorcinol with 2 equiv of an acetoxymethylpyrrole in the presence of p-toluenesulfonic acid and calcium chloride. Following removal of the benzyl ester protective groups, the resorcinol-derived benzitripyrrane was reacted with a pyrrole dialdehyde to give an aromatic hydroxyoxybenziporphyrin. However, furan and thiophene dialdehydes gave highly insoluble products that could not be fully characterized. The methylresorcinol-derived tripyrrane analogue reacted with pyrrole, furan, thiophene, and selenophene dialdehydes to give unstable porphyrinoids that were further oxidized with [bis(trifluoroacetoxy)iodo]benzene to give stable benziporphyrin derivatives. These oxidized benziporphyrins showed strongly diatropic properties by proton NMR spectroscopy where the differences in chemical shifts (Δδ) were >18 ppm in some cases. The selenophene-derived system was further characterized by X-ray crystallography, and these results showed that one of the pyrrole subunits in this crowded structure was tilted by 21° relative to the mean macrocyclic plane. The tripyrrolic system reacted with silver(I) acetate to give the corresponding silver(III) organometallic complex. Regioselective alkylation with methyl or ethyl iodide and potassium carbonate gave diastereomeric mixtures of N-alkyl derivatives, and the N-ethyl substitution products showed highly diastereotopic characteristics.