β,β‐Diborylated Subporphyrinato Boron(III) Complexes as Useful Synthetic Precursors

Iridium‐catalyzed borylation of B‐aryl meso‐free subporphyrinato boron(III) complexes (hereinafter referred to simply as subporphyrins) with bis(pinacolato)diboron gave 2,13‐diborylated subporphyrins regioselectively, which served as promising synthetic precursors for 2,13‐diarylated subporphyrins and doubly β‐to‐β 1,3‐butadiyne‐bridged subporphyrin dimers. 2,13‐Diarylated subporphyrins display perturbed absorption spectra, depending upon the β‐aryl substituents. Doubly 1,3‐butadiyne‐bridged syn and anti subporphyrin dimers thus prepared exhibit differently altered absorption spectra with split Soret‐like bands, which have been accounted for in terms of exciton coupling.     

Singly and Doubly Quinoxaline-Fused BIII Subporphyrins

B-Phenyl B^III subporphyrin-α-diones prepared in a three-step reaction sequence from the parent subporphyrin were condensed with 1,2-diaminobenzenes to give the corresponding quinoxaline-fused subporphyrins in variable yields. Quinoxaline-fused B-phenyl-5,10,15-triphenyl B^III subporphyrin was transformed to the corresponding subporphyrin-α-dione in the same three-step reaction sequence, which was then condensed with 1,2-diaminobenzene to give doubly quinoxaline-fused subporphyrin. These quinoxaline-fused subporphyrins exhibit redshifted absorption and fluorescence spectra compared with the parent one. A singly quinoxaline-fused subporphyrin bearing three meso-bis(4-dimethylaminophenyl)aminophenyl substituents shows blueshifted fluorescence in less polar solvent, which has been ascribed to emission associated with charge recombination of intramolecular charge transfer (CT) state.     

Peripherally Hexasulfanylated Subporphyrins

Peripherally hexachlorinated meso‐triphenyl subporphyrin 4 was prepared by chlorination of meso‐triphenyl subporphyrin 1 with N‐chlorosuccinimide and was effectively transformed to hexasulfanylated subporphyrins 5 – 8 via nucleophilic aromatic substitution (S_NAr) reactions with the corresponding thiols under basic conditions. The structures of 5 – 8 have been all well characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray analysis. ¹H NMR studies indicated that the meso‐phenyl substituents undergo restricted rotation for 5 – 8 , while the β‐sulfanyl substituents are conformationally flexible in 5 , 6 , and 8 , and are strictly regulated to an anti‐conformation in 7 . Judging from the absorption spectra, the oxidation and reduction potentials, and the DFT calculations, the substituent effects decrease in the order of 5 > 6 > 7 > 8 . Subporphyrin 8 effectively captures C₆₀ in a 1:1 manner in [D₈]toluene solution.     

Synthesis of Peripherally Nitrated,Aminated, and Arylaminated Subporphyrins

2‐Nitro‐5,10,15‐tri(4‐tert‐butylphenyl)subporphyrin 2 was prepared by the nitration of 5,10,15‐tri(4‐tert‐ butylphenyl)subporphyrin 1a with five equivalents of Cu(NO₃)₂ ? 5 H₂O in a mixed EtOAc/Ac₂O solution and was reduced into 2‐amino‐5,10,15‐tri(4‐tert‐butylphenyl)subporphyrin 3 . Bromination of 5,10,15‐triphenylsubporphyrin 1b with 1.5 equivalents of N‐bromosuccinimide (NBS) gave 2‐bromo‐5,10,15‐triphenylsubporphyrin, which was converted into various 2‐arylamino‐5,10,15‐triphenylsubporphyrins ( 4a , 4b , 4c , 4d ) and 2‐benzamido‐5,10,15‐triphenylsubporphyrin 5 through Pd‐catalyzed cross‐coupling reactions. These molecules constitute the first examples of mono‐β‐substituted subporphyrins. These subporphyrins exhibit significantly perturbed optical and electrochemical properties, which reflect a large influence of the peripherally attached substituents on the electronic networks of subporphyrins.     

Probing the Rotational Dynamics of meso‐(2‐Substituted)aryl Substituents in A2B‐Type Subporphyrins

A₂B‐type B‐methoxy subporphyrins 3 a – g and B‐phenyl subporphyrins 7 a – c , e , g bearing meso‐(2‐substituted)aryl substituents are synthesized, and their rotational dynamics are examined through variable‐temperature (VT) ¹H NMR spectroscopy. In these subporphyrins, the rotation of meso‐aryl substituents is hindered by a rationally installed 2‐substituent. The rotational barriers determined are considerably smaller than those reported previously for porphyrins. Comparison of the rotation activation parameters reveals a variable contribution of ΔH^≠ and ΔS^≠ in ΔG^≠. 2‐Methyl and 2‐ethyl groups of the meso‐aryl substituents in subporphyrins 3 e , 3 f , and 7 e induce larger rotational barriers than 2‐alkoxyl substituents. The rotational barriers of 3 g and 7 g are reduced by the presence of the 4‐dibenzylamino group owing to its ability to stabilize the coplanar rotation transition state electronically. The smaller rotational barriers found for B‐phenyl subporphyrins than for B‐methoxy subporphyrins indicate a negligible contribution of S_N1‐type heterolysis in the rotation of meso‐aryl substituents.     

meso‐Free BIII Subporphyrins with Electron‐donating Groups

meso‐Free B^III 5,10‐bis(p‐dimethylaminophenyl)subporphyrins were synthesized. They display red‐shifted absorption and fluorescence spectra, bathochromic behaviors in polar solvents, a high fluorescence quantum yield (Φ_F=0.57), and a small HOMO–LUMO gap mainly due to destabilized HOMO as compared with meso‐free B^III 5,10‐diphenylsubporphyrin. This subporphyrin serves as a nice precursor of various meso‐substituted B^III subporphyrins such as B^III meso‐nitrosubporphyrin, B^III meso‐aminosubporphyrin, and meso‐meso’ linked B^III azosubporphyrin dimer. Reactions of meso‐free B^III subporphyrins with NBS or bis(2,4,6‐trimethylpyridine)bromonium hexafluorophosphate gave meso‐meso′ linked subporphyrin dimers, often as a major product along with meso‐bromosubporphyrins.     

Control of Conformation and Chirality of Nonplanar π‐Conjugated Diporphyrins Using Substituents and Axial Ligands

Nonplanar conformations of pyrazine‐fused Zn^II diporphyrins could be controlled by the choice of the meso‐aryl substituents and an axial ligand on the central metals. Zn^II diporphyrins bearing sterically demanding meso‐aryl groups with ortho‐substituents led to a twisted chiral D₂ conformation, while an achiral C_2h form was preferred in the case of aryl groups without ortho‐substituents. Helical chirality induction on Zn^II diporphyrins in the twisted conformation was achieved by controlling their handedness of the molecular twist through coordination of optically active 1‐phenethylamine.     

Capped Subporphyrins

Capped subporphyrins 12 – 16 with C₃ molecular symmetry were synthesized from 5,10,15‐tri(3‐aminophenyl)‐substituted subporphyrin 8 and tripodal trialdehydes 2 – 6 by Lindsey’s entropically favored macrocyclization. X‐ray diffraction analysis has revealed that the concave surface of the subporphyrin core is selectively capped with a 1,3,5‐substituted benzene moiety. Capped subporphyrins 15 and 16 , with a five‐atom arm and thus large inner cavities, exhibit solvent incorporation behavior in their crystal structures. On the other hand, subporphyrins 12 and 13 exhibit tight structures, in which the cap and subporphyrin core are found much closer with average interplanar separations of 3.56 and 3.15 Å, respectively. Variable‐temperature ¹H NMR measurements revealed that subporphyrins 12 , 13 , and 16 undergo spiral interconversions between P and M forms depending on the arm length and the electronic nature of the cap. Of these, subporphyrin 13 , with a 1,3,5‐tri(alkoxycarbonyl)benzene cap strapped by three‐atom arms, exhibits a considerably slow spiral interconversion with a large enthalpy change of ΔH^≠=76.4 kJ mol^?1 and a characteristic redshift of the Soret‐like band and enhancement of the Q(0,0) band. These properties are ascribed to considerable through‐space charge‐transfer interactions between the electron‐deficient cap and the subporphyrin core and the multiple CH? π interactions.     

Substituents modification of meso-aryl BODIPYs for tuning photophysical properties

We successfully synthesized eight meso-aryl BODIPYs with 2,6-diethyl- or 1,2,6,7-tetraethyl substituents and characterized their photophysical properties. The steric hindrance resulting from the phenolic group in the meso-aryl moiety and the ethyl groups on the BODIPY core affected the synthesis of dipyrromethanes as an intermediate as well as the UV–Vis absorption and fluorescence emission of the BODIPYs due to the constrained rotation of the aryl ring. The potential use of the meso-hydroxyphenyl BODIPY as a pH sensor was also shown by the pH-dependent fluorescence emissions.     

meso-Aryl-substituted subporphyrins: synthesis, structures, and large substituent effects on their electronic properties

Two synthetic methods of meso-aryl-substituted subporphyrins have been developed by means of the reaction of pyridine-tri-N-pyrrolylborane with a series of aryl aldehydes. One method relies on the condensation under Adler conditions with chloroacetic acid in refluxing 1,2-dichlorobenzene to afford subporphyrins in 1.1-3.2%, and the other is a two-step reaction consisting of the initial treatment of the two substrates with trifluoroacetic acid at 0 degrees C followed by air-oxidation in refluxing 1,2-dichlorobenzene to provide subporphyrins in up to 5.6% yield. 1H NMR studies indicate that phenyl and sterically unhindered substituents at the meso position of subporphyrins rotate rather freely even at -90 degrees C, whereas the rotation of meso-2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl substituents is strictly prohibited even at 130 degrees C. The structures of six subporphyins have been revealed by X-ray crystallographic analysis to be all cone-shaped tripyrrolic macrocycles. Dihedral angles of meso-phenyl and sterically unhindered aryl substituents to the subporphyrinic core are rather small (38.3-55.7 degrees ) compared to those of porphyrin analogues, whereas those of meso-2,4,6-trimethoxy-substituted subporphyrins are large (68.7-75.7 degrees ). These rotational features of the meso-aryl substituents lead to their large influences on the electronic properties of subporphyrins, as seen for 4-nitrophenyl-substituted subporphyrin 14e that exhibits perturbed absorption and fluorescence spectra, depending upon solvents. Large solvent-polarity dependence of the fluorescence of 14e suggests the charge-transfer character for its excited state. Electrochemical and theoretical studies are performed to understand the electronic properties. Overall, meso-aryl-substituted subporphyrins are promising chromophores in future functional devices.     

Modulative magnetic interaction in π-diradicals of directly meso-linked porphyrin dimers

A series of directly meso-linked Zn(II) porphyrin dimers were prepared, and properties of their bis(π-radical cation)s were investigated. The redox potentials of the dimers bearing various meso-substituents are distributed in wide range although the potential difference (ΔE) between the first and the second oxidations were similar values. Among these dimers, di-tert-butylphenyl derivative and octyloxyphenyl derivative were chemically oxidized by the treatment with NaAuCl₄ in chloroform to afford mono(π-radical cation)s and bis(π-radical cation)s. In the mono(π-radical cation), the π-radical resides one of the porphyrin rings in view of the ESR hyperfine structure. The bis(π-radical cation)s of these dimers showed fine-structured ESR spectra due to triplet species, indicating that the orthogonal alignment of π-radicals leads a stable triplet state. The plots of the triplet ESR signal intensity of the bis(π-radical cation)s versus temperature showed an anomalous feature, in which slight change at lower temperatures and drastic change at higher temperatures were observed. The spectral behavior at lower temperatures was elucidated to be derived from the existence of several kinds of frozen dimers with various dihedral angles between two porphyrin rings. An abrupt increase of triplet signal intensity around 130–160 K can be rationalized by molecular motion around the meso–meso linkage. Such phenomena are comparable with spin-crossover. It also proved that the magnetic interaction in the π-diradical is modulated by the electron-donating ability of the meso-aryl substituents.     

Peripheral Hexabromination,Hexaphenylation, and Hexaethynylation of meso‐Aryl‐Substituted Subporphyrins

Effective peripheral fabrication methods of meso‐aryl‐substituted subporphyrins were explored for the first time. Hexabrominated subporphyrins 2 were prepared quantitatively from the bromination of subporphyrins 1 with bromine. Hexaphenylated subporphyrins 3 and hexaethynylated subporphyrins 4 and 5 were synthesized by Suzuki–Miyaura coupling and Stille coupling, respectively, in good yields. X‐ray crystal structures of 2 b , 3 b , 4 b , and 5 a revealed preservation of the bowl‐shaped bent structures with bowl depths similar to that of 1 . Hexaethynylated subporphyrins exhibit large two‐photon‐absorption cross‐sections due to effective delocalization of the conjugated network to the ethynyl substituents.     

Subporpholactone,Subporpholactam, Imidazolosubporphyrin,and Iridium Complexes of Imidazolosubporphyrin: Formation of Iridium Carbene Complexes

Pyrrole‐modified subporphyrins bearing a non‐pyrrolic cyclic unit, subporpholactone, subporpholactam, and imidazolosubporphyrin were newly synthesized. They show subporphyrin‐like absorption and fluorescence spectra that are red‐shifted in the order of subporpholactam<subporpholactone<imidazolosubporphyrin. Metalation of the imidazolosubporphyrin with (pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)iridium(III) dichloride dimer gave a complex, in which the iridium(III) atom was attached at the peripheral nitrogen atom of the imidazole moiety and the ortho‐position of the meso‐phenyl group. Reaction of this complex with diphenylacetylene gave different products depending on the used additive; a phenyl‐rearranged product in the presence of NaBAr^F₄ (Ar^F=3,5‐bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl) and two isomeric carbene complexes in the presence of KPF₆.     

meso‐Nitro‐ and meso‐Aminosubporphyrinatoboron(III)s and meso‐to‐meso Azosubporphyrinatoboron(III)s

meso‐Nitrosubporphyrinatoboron(III) was synthesized by nitration of meso‐free subporphyrin with AgNO₂/I₂. The subsequent reduction with a combination of NaBH₄ and Pd/C gave meso‐aminosubporphyrinatoboron(III). meso‐Nitro‐ and meso‐amino‐groups significantly influenced the electronic properties of subporphyrin, which has been confirmed by NMR and UV/Vis spectra, electrochemical analysis, and DFT calculations. Oxidation of meso‐aminosubporphyrinatoboron(III)s with PbO₂ cleanly gave meso‐to‐meso azosubporphyrinatoboron(III)s that exhibited almost coplanar conformations and large electronic interaction through the azo‐bridge.     

Subporpholactone,Subporpholactam, Imidazolosubporphyrin,and Iridium Complexes of Imidazolosubporphyrin: Formation of Iridium Carbene Complexes

Pyrrole‐modified subporphyrins bearing a non‐pyrrolic cyclic unit, subporpholactone, subporpholactam, and imidazolosubporphyrin were newly synthesized. They show subporphyrin‐like absorption and fluorescence spectra that are red‐shifted in the order of subporpholactam<subporpholactone<imidazolosubporphyrin. Metalation of the imidazolosubporphyrin with (pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)iridium(III) dichloride dimer gave a complex, in which the iridium(III) atom was attached at the peripheral nitrogen atom of the imidazole moiety and the ortho‐position of the meso‐phenyl group. Reaction of this complex with diphenylacetylene gave different products depending on the used additive; a phenyl‐rearranged product in the presence of NaBAr^F₄ (Ar^F=3,5‐bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl) and two isomeric carbene complexes in the presence of KPF₆.     

Stable Subporphyrin meso-Aminyl Radicals without Resonance Stabilization by a Neighboring Heteroatom

Most aminyl radicals studied so far are resonance-stabilized by neighboring heteroatoms, and those without such stabilization are usually short-lived. We report herein that subporphyrin meso-2,4,6-trichlorophenylaminyl radicals and a bis(5-subporphyrinyl)aminyl radical are fairly stable under ambient conditions without such stabilization. The subporphyrin meso-2,4,6-trichlorophenylaminyl radical crystal structure displays a characteristically short C_meso−N bond and a perpendicular arrangement of the meso-arylamino group. The stabilities of these radicals have been ascribed to extensive spin delocalization over the subporphyrin π-electronic network as well as steric protection around the aminyl radical center.     

β-Tetra-brominated meso-tetraphenylporphyrin: A conformational study and application to the Mn-porphyrin catalyzed epoxidation of olefins with tetrabutylammonium oxone

X-ray crystallographic studies have shown that the free base β-tetra-brominated meso-tetraphenylporphyrin (H₂TPPBr₄) has a slightly ruffled structure with the dihedral angles of 70.1–79.2° between the phenyl groups and the porphyrin mean plane. The N(pyrrole)–N(pyrrolenine) distance is very similar to that of the standard planar porphyrins. The decreased N–H bond length of H₂TPPBr₄ with respect to that of meso-tetraphenylporphyrin (H₂TPP) seems to be due to the weaker intramolecular hydrogen bond of the former relative to the latter caused by the electron-withdrawing effects of the β-bromine substituents. The large red shifts of the Soret and Q(0,0) bands of H₂TPPBr₄ in comparison with those of H₂TPP, in spite of the nearly planar porphyrin core of the compound, also may be explained on the basis of the electron-withdrawing effects of the bromine atoms. Oxidation of styrene, the para-substituted derivatives and cyclooctene with tetrabutylammonium oxone in the presence of catalytic amounts of β-tetra-brominated meso-tetraphenylporphyrinatomanganese(III) acetate immediately gives the epoxide as the sole product. Terminal double bonds and unconjugated ones are less reactive than the conjugated double bonds and show lower selectivities. Catalytic activity of the electron-deficient Mn(H₂TPPBr₄)OAc dramatically depends on the Co-catalytic activity of the nitrogen donors as the axial base. The best axial bases are the nitrogenous donors with mixed σ- and π-donor ability to the metal centre.     

Exploration of Chiral Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Semiconducting Lead Halides

Organic–inorganic lead halides have recently emerged as promising alternatives to conventional optoelectronic materials, considering their intriguing physical properties. However, organic–inorganic lead halides featuring chirality are seldom explored. Here, a pair of enantiomorphic organic–inorganic hybrid semiconducting lead halides, (R‐C₅H₁₄N₂)PbBr₄ ( 1R ) and (S‐C₅H₁₄N₂)PbBr₄ ( 2S ), were successfully obtained with the templating of chiral amines. These compounds adopt distinct one‐dimensional infinite quantum helices formed by edge‐shared transformative lead bromide octahedra. Notably, 1R and 2S present mirror circular dichroism (CD) signals due to the chirality transfer of the enantiopure amines. Furthermore, 1R and 2S exhibit phase‐matchable quadratic nonlinear response and typical semiconducting behaviours. This work highlights the potential of lead halides as a new kind of chiral semiconducting materials in spintronic and chiral optical applications.     

Chirogenesis in Zinc Porphyrins: Theoretical Evaluation of Electronic Transitions,Controlling Structural Factors and Axial Ligation

In the present work, sixteen different zinc porphyrins (possessing different meso substituents) with and without a chiral guest were modelled using DFT and TD-DFT approaches in order to understand the influence of various controlling factors on electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. Two major aspects are influenced by these factors: excitation energy of the electronic transitions and their intensity. In the case of excitation energy, the influence increases in the following order: orientation of the peripheral substituents<substituent's nature<axial ligation. However, the deformation of the porphyrin plane does not affect the excitation energies. In the case of intensity, the influence increases as follows: substituent's nature<conrotatory orientation of the peripheral substituents<deformation of the porphyrin plane<disrotatory orientation of the peripheral substituents<axial ligation.     

Bridged bioxepines and bi[10]paracyclophanes—synthesis and absolute configuration of a bi[10]paracyclophane with two chiral planes and one chiral axis

A preparative synthesis of novel bioxepines and bi[10]paracyclophanes with meso- and rac-configuration is described. The bi[10]paracyclophane (−)-6b with two elements of planar chirality and one chiral axis has been obtained in enantiomerically pure form. Its absolute configuration was determined by quantum chemical calculation of the circular dichroism and comparison with the experimental CD spectrum.