Curve-structured phenalenyl chemistry: synthesis, electronic structure, and bowl-inversion barrier of a phenalenyl-fused corannulene anion

We have demonstrated the features of curve-structured phenalenyl chemistry, for the first time. A phenalenyl-fused corannulene anion has been designed by the annelation of a six-memberd ring across peri-positions of corannulene and generated as a stable species in a degassed solution. The 1H and 13C NMR spectra have shown the highly symmetrical structure and high-field shifts of protons and carbons at the asterisked positions in the chemical structure, indicating the occurrence of large negative charge densities at these positions. These results well agree with the HOMO picture and the electrostatic potential surface, demonstrating the phenalenyl anion-type electronic structure is retained in the curved-surface pi-system. The calculated bowl-inversion barrier of the anion (11.3 kcal/mol) is larger than that of corannulene (9.2 kcal/mol) because of peri-annelation of the corannulene skeleton. The calculations of the barriers of the neutral radical (12.6 kcal/mol), radical dianion (8.1 kcal/mol), and trianion (5.4 kcal/mol) of the phenalenyl-fused corannulene have exhibited a stepwise flattening of the curvature with increase in negative charge. Therefore, we have revealed that the bowl-inversion barrier of the anion is governed by the setoff of the peri-annelation and negative charge effects.     

New stable neutral radical with intramolecular hydrogen bonding: synthesis and characterization of 2,5,8-tri-tert-butyl-7-hydroxy-6-oxophenalenoxyl

A new stable neutral radical with intramolecular hydrogen bonding, 2,5,8-tri-tert-butyl-7-hydroxy-6-oxophenalenoxyl, was synthesized from the corresponding dihydroxyphenalenone and isolated as a stable solid under air atmosphere at room temperature. The structure was unequivocally determined by means of IR spectra, ESR/ENDOR techniques, and DFT calculations.     

Novel twin corannulene: synthesis and crystal structure determination of a dicorannulenobarrelene dicarboxylate

[reaction: see text] The dicorannulenobarrelene 1 was synthesized with the final step achieved by a nickel-mediated fourfold intramolecular coupling of dibromomethyl with bromomethyl groups. Low-temperature (1)H NMR spectra of 1 show a presence of three conformers with approximate populations of 0.82:0.13:0.05, in good agreement with theoretical predictions. In the crystal, 1 incorporates two CCl(4) molecules and adopts the bis-exo conformation.     

Experimental electron density of sumanene, a bowl-shaped fullerene fragment; comparison with the related corannulene hydrocarbon

The experimental electron density of sumanene, C(21)H(12), was extracted from a high resolution X-ray data set measured at 100 K and topologically analyzed. In addition to bond topological and atomic properties, information about the density distribution between adjacent molecules, which show close C···C approaches of ~3.4 ? within the columnar π-stacks in the crystal lattice, are discussed. A comparison is made with the electron density of the related corannulene molecule based also on the analysis of Electron Localizability Indicator (ELI-D) calculations.     

Isolation and characterization of a neutral imino-semiquinone radical

The neutral imino-semiquinone, 4,6-di-tert-butyl-2-tert-butylimino-semiquinone (isqH.), can be prepared by a conproportionation of the parent aminophenol and iminoquinone compounds. The neutral radical species has been characterized in the solid state by X-ray diffraction and in solution by EPR and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. The stability of the open-shell radical is derived from the basicity of the tert-butylimino group and the intramolecular hydrogen bond.     

The first crystal structure of a monomeric phenoxyl radical: 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenoxyl radical

Crystals of the 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenoxyl radical have been isolated and characterized by X-ray diffraction, and calculations have been performed that give the distribution of spin density in the radical.     

Metal-free and transition-metal tetraferrocenylporphyrins part 1: synthesis, characterization, electronic structure, and conformational flexibility of neutral compounds

H(2)TFcP [TFcP = 5,10,15,20-tetraferrocenyl porphyrin(2-)] was prepared by a direct tetramerization reaction between pyrrole and ferrocene carbaldehyde in the presence of a BF(3) catalyst, while the series of MTFcP (M = Zn, Ni, Co and Cu) were prepared by a metallation reaction between H(2)TFcP and respective metal acetates. All compounds were characterized by UV-vis and MCD spectroscopy, APCI MS and MS/MS methods, high-resolution ESI MS and XPS spectroscopy. Diamagnetic compounds were additionally characterized using (1)H and (13)C NMR methods, while the presence of low-spin iron(ii) centers in the neutral compounds was confirmed by M?ssbauer spectroscopy and by analysis of the XPS Fe 2p peaks, revealing equivalent Fe sites. XPS additionally showed the influence on Fe 2p binding energies exerted by the distinct central metal ions. The conformational flexibility of ferrocene substituents in H(2)TFcP and MTFcP, was confirmed using variable-temperature NMR and computational methods. Density functional theory predicts that alpha,beta,alpha,beta atropisomers with ruffled porphyrin cores represent minima on the potential energy surfaces of both H(2)TFcP and MTFcP. The degree of non-planarity is central-metal dependent and follows the trend: ZnTFcP < H(2)TFcP approximately CuTFcP < CoTFcP < NiTFcP. In all cases, a set of occupied, predominantly ferrocene-based molecular orbitals were found between the highest occupied and the lowest unoccupied, predominantly porphyrin-based molecular orbitals. The vertical excitation energies of H(2)TFcP were calculated at the TDDFT level and confirm the presence of numerous predominantly metal-to-ligand charge-transfer bands coupled via configurational interaction with expected intra-ligand pi-pi* transitions.     

A stable neutral stannaaromatic compound: synthesis, structure and complexation of a kinetically stabilized 2-stannanaphthalene

A kinetically stabilized 2-stannanaphthalene, the first example of a stable, neutral aromatic compound containing a tin atom, has been synthesized and fully characterized. The results of spectroscopic and crystallographic structural analyses of the compound and theoretical calculations using model compounds strongly suggest that it has a delocalized 10pi-electron ring system as does naphthalene. In addition, it was found to behave as an eta6-arene ligand in the ligand exchange reaction with [Cr(CH3CN)3(CO)3] giving the first stable eta6-2-stannanaphthalene chromium complex.     

The electronic structure of the NF2 radical

Ab initio unrestricted Hartree-Fock (UHF) calculations (with and without single annihilation) have been performed on the radical NF₂ using four different basis sets; namely, a minimal basis Slater set, two minimal basis Gaussian sets and a Gaussian set of approximately double zeta accuracy.Several one-electron charge dependent properties have been calculated with each basis set and it is most apparent that near double zeta accuracy 2p functions are necessary to produce reliable values.Single annihilation of the UHF wavefunctions calculated with the two basis sets containing near double zeta 2p functions, was found to give an accurate representation of the anisotropic coupling constants at both the nitrogen and fluorine atoms. Less satisfactory agreement with the experimental isotropic coupling constants was found with all calculations.This investigation of the NF₂ radical indicates that, providing a good quality basis set is used, the single annihilated UHF method can provide accurate values for most charge and spin dependent observable properties of open shell molecules.

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Zusammenfassung Ab intio-Rechnungen nach der uneingeschränkten Hartree-Fock-Methode (UHF-Methode) (mit und ohne einfache Auslöschung) wurden für das Radikal NF₂ mit verschiedenen Basissätzen durchgeführt. Die vier Basissätze sind: ein minimaler Basissatz von Slaterfunktionen, zwei minimale Basissätze von Gaußfunktionen und ein größerer Satz von Gaußfunktionen von angenäherter Genauigkeit einer Doppelzeta-Basis. Der Vergleich der Basissätze bei der Berechnung von ladungsabhängigen Einelektron-Eigenschaften zeigt, daß der angenäherte Doppelzeta-Basissatz zur Berechnung geeigneter Werte notwendig ist. Eine einfache Auslöschung in den UHF-Wellenfunktionen, die mit den beiden Basissätzen mit genäherten Doppelzeta-2p-Funktionen berechnet wurden, führte auf eine genaue Darstellung der anisotropen Kopplungskonstanten am Stickstoff und an Fluor. Die Übereinstimmung der berechneten isotropen Kopplungskonstanten war bei allen Rechnungen weniger gut. Diese Ergebnisse für das NF₂-Radikal zeigen, daß bei Verwendung einer geeigneten Basis mit Hilfe der UHF-Methode mit einfacher Auslöschung genaue Werte für die meisten von der Ladung oder vom Spin abhängigen Eigenschaften von Molekülen mit offenen Schalen gewonnen werden können.

     

Synthesis, structure and physical properties of the first one-dimensional phenalenyl-based neutral radical molecular conductor

We report the preparation, crystallization, and solid-state characterization of a benzyl-substituted spirobiphenalenyl radical. The crystal structure shows that the radical is monomeric in the solid state, with the molecules packed in an unusual one-dimensional (1-D) fashion that we refer to as a pi-step stack. This particular mode of 1-D stacking is forced on the lattice arrangement by the presence of the orthogonal phenalenyl units that were specifically incorporated to prevent the crystallization of low-dimensional structures. The structure shows that this strategy is effective, and neighboring molecules in the stack can only interact via the overlap of one pair of active (spin-bearing) carbon atoms per phenalenyl unit, leading to the pi-step structure in which the remaining four active carbon atoms per phenalenyl unit do not interact with nearest neighbor molecules. The magnetic susceptibility data in the temperature range 4-360 K may be fit to an antiferromagnetic Heisenberg S = 1/2 linear chain model with intrachain spin coupling J = -52.3 cm(-1). Despite the uniform stacking, the material has a room temperature conductivity of 1.4 x 10(-3) S/cm and is best described as a Mott insulator.     

The isolable cation radical of disilene: synthesis, characterization, and a reversible one-electron redox system

The highly twisted tetrakis(di-tert-butylmethylsilyl)disilene 1 was treated with Ph3C+.BAr4- (BAr4-: TPFPB = tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate) in toluene, producing disilene cation radical 3 upon one-electron oxidation. Cation radical 3 was isolated in the form of its borate salt as extremely air- and moisture-sensitive red-brown crystals. The molecular structure of 3 was established by X-ray crystallography, which showed a highly twisted structure (twisting angle of 64.9 degrees) along the central Si-Si bond with a bond length of 2.307(2) A, which is 2.1% elongated relative to that of 1. The cation radical is stabilized by sigma-pi hyperconjugation by the four tBu2MeSi groups attached to the two central sp2-Si atoms. An electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) study of the hyperfine coupling constants (hfcc) of the 29Si nuclei indicates delocalization of the spin over the central two Si atoms. A reversible one-electron redox system between disilene, cation radical, and anion radical is also reported.     

Benzo[a]acecorannulene: surprising formation of a new bowl-shaped aromatic hydrocarbon from an attempted synthesis of 1,2-diazadibenzo[d,m]corannulene

[Structure: see text] Flash vacuum pyrolysis of 7,10-bis(2-bromophenyl)acenaphtho[1,2-d]pyridazine (C26H14Br2N2) has resulted in a surprising transformation, including dinitrogen loss, to give benzo[a]acecorannulene, a novel C26H12 bowl-shaped fullerene fragment.     

A stable silaborene: synthesis and characterization

A stable silicon-boron doubly bonded compound, silaborene (2), was synthesized by the reaction of 1,1-dilithiosilane (1) with dichloro(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidino)borane in toluene. The X-ray crystallographic analysis of 2 revealed that the >Si=B-N< framework is almost linear (176.87(13) degrees ) with an Si-B bond length of 1.8379(17) A, which is about 10% shorter than typical Si-B single bonds. The silaborene 2 reacted with lithium trimethylsilylacetylide at 60 degrees C in DME to give the corresponding silaborenide (4-.[Li(dme)3]+), whose reddish-orange crystals were isolated as the solvent separated ion pair. The X-ray analysis of 4-.[Li(dme)3]+ showed that the Si-B bond length (1.933(3) A) is longer than that of 2, but still shorter than typical Si-B single bonds. These structural features indicate that 4- has double bond character involving the >Si=B<- resonance structure.     

New family of aminophenalenyl-based neutral radical molecular conductors: synthesis, structure, and solid state properties

We report the preparation, crystallization, and solid-state characterization of the first members of a new family of spiro-bis-(1,9-diamino-substituted-phenalenyl)boron neutral radicals. The crystal structures show that the three radicals are monomeric and without close contacts in the crystal lattice. In all cases magnetic susceptibility measurements confirm the presence of free radicals with one unpaired spin per molecule. Two of the new radical compounds are among the most highly conducting neutral organic solids, with room-temperature conductivities reaching sigma(RT) = 4 x 10(-2) S/cm. The measured conductivities correlate with the closest intermolecular contacts in the solid state and with the calculated band dispersions, even though the bandwidths are much smaller than those found in other organic conductors.