Synthesis and optical behaviors of 2-(9-phenanthrenyl)-, 2-(9-anthryl)-, and 2-(1-pyrenyl)-1-alkylimidazole homologues

Eight 2-(9-phenanthrenyl)-, 2-(9-anthryl)- and 2-(1-pyrenyl)-1-alkyl-benzimidazole compounds, three 2-(9-anthryl)-1-alkylphenanthroimidazole compounds and five 4,5-diphenyl-1-alkyl-2-(9-anthryl)imidazole compounds were synthesized by alkylation reactions of the corresponding benzimidazole, phenanthroimidazole or imidazole compounds. 2-(10-Bromo-9-anthryl)-1-alkyl-benzimidazole compounds were prepared by bromination reaction of 2-(9-anthryl)-1-alkylbenzimidazole compounds. All the synthesized compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, MS or HRMS; their absorption coefficients (), maximum absorption λ_amax, fluorescence emission maximum λ_em, Stokes shifts and fluorescence quantum yields (Φ_F) in ethyl acetate were determined; their fluorescent lifetimes (T₁ and T₂) were measured in ethyl acetate and in solid state, respectively. The crystal structure of 2-(9-anthryl)-1-n-butyl-4,5-diphenylimidazole (12a) was determined to be triclinic, space group P-1 types, using single crystal X-ray crystallography technique. The results showed that these compounds exhibited moderate fluorescence-emission abilities and higher solubility in most organic solvents than their corresponding starting materials. The relationships between the optical behaviors and structures for these compounds were discussed.     

Synthesis of Ethyl (2RS,3SR)-1-Tosyl-3-Vinylazetidine-2-carboxylate and ethyl (2RS,E)-3-ethylidene-1-tosylazetidine-2-carboxylate (=rac-ethyl N-tosylpolyximate)

The synthesis of 3-ethylideneazetidine-2-carboxylic acid (=polyoximic acid; 3 ) is a approached in two different ways leading to potential precursors of 3 . The first way involved a ring closure to a vinyl-subsatituted azetidin. Thus, Ireland-Claisen rearrangement of the Boc-glycinates 6 and 10 of (Z)- and (E)-2-butene-1,4-diol afforded, after exchange of the N-protecting groups, the isomeric 2-(tosylamino)-3-vinylbutanolides 13 and 14 with high stereoselectivity. Only the cis-isomer 14 could be further transformed to 3-(bromomethyl)-2-(tosylamino)-4-pentenoate 17 , and in a smoth cyclization with K₂CO₃, to trans-3-vinylazetidtene-2-carboxylaze 18 (Scheme 2). In the second approach, the 3-ethylidene isomer 19 of 18 was obtained more directly by a [2+2] cycloaddition, together with the two isomers 23 and 24 , from methlallene 20 and (tosyliminno)acetate 21 (Scheme 3). The main product of this reaction was, however, 2-(tosylamino)-4-hexinoate 22 , the product of an ene reaction.