113Cd Solid‐State NMR for Probing the Coordination Sphere in Metal–Organic Frameworks

Spectroscopic techniques are a powerful tool for structure determination, especially if single‐crystal material is unavailable. ¹¹³Cd solid‐state NMR is easy to measure and is a highly sensitive probe because the coordination number, the nature of coordinating groups, and the geometry around the metal ion is reflected by the isotropic chemical shift and the chemical‐shift anisotropy. Here, a detailed investigation of a series of 27 cadmium coordination polymers by ¹¹³Cd solid‐state NMR is reported. The results obtained demonstrate that ¹¹³Cd NMR is a very sensitive tool to characterize the cadmium environment, also in non‐single‐crystal materials. Furthermore, this method allows the observation of guest‐induced phase transitions supporting understanding of the structural flexibility of coordination frameworks.     

Tris(tetraceno)triquinacenes: Synthesis and Photophysical Properties of Threefold Linearly Extended Tribenzotriquinacenes

The linear extension of the rigid, C_3v‐symmetrical carbon framework of tribenzotriquinacene (TBTQ) along its three wings is reported. The key step of the extension procedure consists of a Diels–Alder reaction of three ortho‐quinodimethane units generated in situ at the triquinacene core. The use of 1,4‐naphthoquinone provides a facile and particularly efficient access to tris(tetraceno)‐annellated triquinacenes. The steady‐state photophysical properties of these new oligotetracenes bearing three mutually orthogonal chomophores are determined and analyzed by DFT calculations.     

Insight into the Thermal Ring‐Opening Polymerization of Phospha[1]ferrocenophanes

A mixture of cis/trans isomers of phospha[1]ferrocenophanes equipped with one iPr group at the α position to the bridging PhP moiety was prepared. Both isomers (cis‐ 4 and trans‐ 4 ) were obtained as racemates and could be separated so that their thermal properties were investigated individually. The molecular structure of cis‐ 4 was determined by single‐crystal X‐ray analysis showing a tilt angle α=26.35(8)°. Interconversion between both isomers occurred in the melt at elevated temperatures and revealed that the trans isomer is thermodynamically more stable. Structural and thermodynamic data was complemented by DFT calculations (B3PW91/6‐311+G(d,p) and B3PW91‐D3(BJ)/6‐311+G(d,p)). Performance of thermal ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of trans‐ 4 at 230 °C gave polymers and cyclic oligomers. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) of the sulfurized polymer resulted in a molecular weight of 62.5 kDa (M_w) and a polydispersity index of 1.39 (PDI). Mass spectrometric analysis of the oligomers showed the presence of cyclic species from dimers to heptamers. After sulfurization, preparative thin layer chromatography led to the separation of three isomeric dimers. Structural characterization of these dimers by single‐crystal X‐ray analysis led to the conclusion that the Fe?Cp bond breaks during the thermal ROP process. A mechanism similar to the known mechanism of the photolytic ROP of ferrocenophanes is proposed.