Reactions involving di-trans-[12]annulenes

The low temperature complete dehydrohalogenation of pentabromocyclododecene (C12H17Br5) with potassium tert-butoxide in THF followed by exposure to potassium metal leads to the formation of the anion radical of 1,5-di-trans-[12]annulene, which loses hydrogen and undergoes ring closure to form the anion radical of 11,12-dihydro-[8]annuleno-[6]annulene. This product can, in turn, be isolated as its neutral molecule via reoxidation with iodine. A [12]annulene obtained via the dimerization of 1,5-hexadiyne in the presence of 18-crown-6 and potassium tert-butoxide undergoes ring closure, with concomitant loss of hydrogen, to yield the heptalene anion radical. It follows that the heptalene anion radical precursor was the 1,7-di-trans isomer of [12]annulene.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Dirhenadehydro[12]annulenes

The 12‐membered‐ring metallacycles [mer‐Re{≡CCH=C(R)C≡C?}Cl(PMe₂Ph)₃)]₂ (R=CMe₃, 1‐adamantyl), which are organometallic analogues of antiaromatic octadehydro[12]annulene, are prepared by heating the methyl carbyne complexes mer‐Re{≡CCH=C(R)C≡CH}(CH₃)Cl(PMe₂Ph)₃. An intermolecular σ‐bond metathesis between the Re?CH₃ bond and the acetylenic C?H bond is proposed for their formation.     

A short route to dehydro [12] annulenes.

A novel synthesis of dehydro [12] annutenes from 1,2-dibromobenzene is based on selective Pd(0)-Cu(1) coupling reactions of aryl and vinyl halides with tenninal acetylenes.     

Subphthalocyanine-dehydro[18]annulenes

A subphthalocyanine trimer built around a dehydro[18]annulene core was prepared. The synthesis was achieved through direct homocoupling of an ortho-diethynyl-functionalized subphthalocyanine, obtained by palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of the corresponding diiodo-subphthalocyanine with an ethynyl derivative. The lower analogue dehydro[12]annulene did not form in these homocoupling conditions. The trimers were fully characterized and their electrochemical properties investigated.     

Mono- and bis(tetrathiafulvaleno)hexadehydro[12]annulenes

Hexadehydro[12]annulenes annelated with one or two TTF units have been synthesized to investigate their pi-amphoteric properties based on the TTF and [12]annulene moieties; these compounds show multi-redox potentials, solvatochromism and the formation of large sandwich complexes.     

Competing isomerizations of [12]annulenes: Diels-Alder reaction versus electrocyclization

Experimentally, tri-trans-[12]annulene and tris(cyclohexeno)[12]annulene exhibit differing reactivities. Whereas the former, after isomerizing to its di-trans isomer, undergoes sequential electrocyclizations, the latter follows a Diels-Alder pathway after initial electrocyclization. B3PW91/6-31+G*//B3LYP/6-31G* calculations indicate that cyclohexenofusion simultaneously hinders the second electrocyclization and facilitates Diels-Alder reaction, primarily by inducing greater puckering in the intermediate eight-membered ring.     

Calculation of 1H chemical shifts of [n]annuleno[m]annulenes and [n]annulenyl[m]annulenes

The ring current and local anisotropic contributions to the ¹H chemical shifts of [n]annuleno[m]annulenes and [n]annulenyl[m]annulenes with n, m = 12, 14, 18 and n, m = 13, 15 are calculated. The agreement between experimental and calculated shifts for the few known compounds is very good so that the predictions for the as yet unknown compounds are reliable. The effect of an annulene ring on the shifts of the protons at the other ring in these bicyclic compounds is discussed for several types of fusion of the two constituent annulenes.     

Macrocyclic Tetraethynylethene Molecular Scaffolding: Perethynylated aromatic dodecadehydro[18]annulenes,antiaromatic octadehydro[12]annulenes,and expanded radialenes

Tetraethynylethene (3,4-diethynylhex-3-ene-1,5-diyne) molecular scaffolding provided access to novel macrocyclic nanometer-sized C-rich molecules with unusual structural and electronic properties. Starting from cis-bis-deprotected cis-bis(trialkylsilyl)protected tetraethynylethenes, the per(silylethynyl)ated octadehydro[12]annulenes 1 and 2 and the corresponding dodecadehydro[18]annulenes 4 and 5 were prepared by oxidative Hay coupling. X-Ray crystal-structure analyses of (i-Pr)₃Si-protected 2 and Me₃Si-protected 4 showed that both annulene perimeters are perfectly planar. Electronic absorption spectral comparisons provided strong evidence that the macro rings in the deep-purple-colored 1 and 2 are antiaromatic (4n π-electrons), whereas those in yellow 4 and 5 are aromatic ((4n + 2) π-electrons). Although unstable in solution, the antiaromatic compound 2 gave high-melting crystals in which the individual octadehydro[12]annulene chromophores are isolated and stabilized in a matrix-type environment formed by the bulky (i-Pr)₃Si groups. Electrochemical studies demonstrated that the antiaromatic octadehydro[12]annulene 2 undergoes two stepwise one-electron reductions more readily that the aromatic chromophore 5 . This redox behavior is best explained by the formation of an aromatic (4n + 2) π-electron dianion from 2 , whereas 5 loses its aromaticity upon reduction. The Me₃Si derivative 4 was deprotected with borax in MeOH/THF to give the highly unstable hexaethynyl-dodecadehydro[18]annulene 6 , a C₃₀H₆ isomer and macrocyclic precursor to a two-dimensional all-C-network. Deprotection of 2 did not give isolable amounts of tetraethynyl-octadehydro[12]annulene 3 due to the extreme instability of the latter. Starting from dimeric and trimeric acyclic tetraethynylethene oligomers, a series of expanded radialenes were obtained. They possess large C-cores with silylethynyl-protected peripheral valences and can be viewed as persilylated C₄₀ ( 7 ), C₅₀ ( 8 ), and C₆₀ ( 9 ) isomers. These expanded C-sheets are high-melting, highly stable, soluble materials which were readily characterized by laser-desorption time-of-flight (LD-TOF) mass spectrometry. Due to inefficient macrocyclic cross-conjugation and/or non-planarity, the extent of π-electron delocalization in 7 – 9 is limited to the longest linearly conjugated π-electron fragment. In agreement with these properties, all three expanded radialenes exhibited similar redox behavior; they are difficult to oxidize but undergo several reversible one-electron reductions in similar potential ranges. Presumably, the reduced π-electron delocalization is also at the origin of the particularly high stability of 7 – 9 .     

Generation and characterization of highly strained dibenzotetrakisdehydro[12]- and dibenzopentakisdehydro[14]annulenes

To generate dibenzotetrakisdehydro[12]- and dibenzopentakisdehydro[14]annulenes ([12]- and [14]DBAs) having a highly deformed triyne moiety, [4.3.2]propellatriene-anneleted dehydro[12]- and dehydro[14]annulenes were prepared as their precursors. UV irradiation of the precursors resulted in the photochemical [2 + 2] cycloreversion to generate the strained [12]- and [14]DBAs, respectively. The [12]DBA was not detected by 1H NMR spectroscopy, but it was intercepted as Diels-Alder adducts in solution, suggesting its intermediacy. Its spectroscopic characterization was successfully carried out by UV-vis spectroscopy in a 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (MTHF) glass matrix at 77 K and by FT-IR spectroscopy in an argon matrix at 20 K. On the other hand, the [14]DBA was stable enough for observation by 1H and 13C NMR spectra in solution, though it was not isolated because of the low efficiency of the cycloreversion. The [14]DBA was also characterized by interception as Diels-Alder adducts in solution and by UV-vis spectroscopy in a MTHF glass matrix at 77 K. The kinetic stabilities of the DBAs are compared with the related dehydrobenzoannulenes with respect to the topology of the pi-systems. In addition, the tropicity of the [14]DBA is discussed based on its experimental and theoretical 1H NMR chemical shifts.     

One-pot synthesis of pyrrolo[1,2-a]quinoxalines

A transition metal-free process for the regioselective synthesis of pyrrolo[1,2-a]quinoxalines under mild conditions in one-pot is described. The reaction afforded a variety of products in good to excellent yields. Indolo[1,2-a]quinoxalines were also synthesized from indole-2-carboxamides under the same conditions.     

One-pot synthesis of acenaphtho[1,2-b]furan derivatives

New 9-(alkyl or aryl)acenaphtho[l,2-b]furan-8-(alky or aryl)amine compounds has herein been reported by one-pot reaction of (acenaphthylen-l-yloxy)trimethylsilane,alkyl and aryl aldehydes,and aryl and alky isocyanides in refluxing DMF.     

One-pot sequential synthesis of acetoxylated [60]fullerene derivatives

[reaction: see text] The reaction of [60]fullerene with 4-substituted phenylhydrazine hydrochlorides in refluxing chlorobenzene under aerobic conditions afforded 1-(4-substituted phenyl)-1,2-dihydro[60]fullerenes, which could be subsequently oxidized to 1-acetoxyl-4-aryl-1,4-dihydro[60]fullerenes by manganese(III) acetate dihydrate in one pot. The transformation of ArC(60)-H to ArC(60)-OAc has been realized with Mn(OAc)(3).2H(2)O for the first time.