Cyanocalix[4]arenes: synthesis,crystal structures and reactivity studies

Abstract

Herein, we describe an improved method to synthesise mono-, di- and tetra-cyanocalix[4]arene and report their crystal structure determinations. We also report our attempts to further functionalise the cyanocalix[4]arenes into dithiadiazolyl-calix[4]arenes, and propose a hypothesis as to why the cyano group on a calix[4]arene is an extremely challenging group to modify.     

Pressure‐Induced Enhancement of Magnetic‐Ordering Temperature in an Organic Radical to 70 K: A Magnetostructural Correlation

The structure of the canted antiferromagnet β‐p‐NCC₆F₄CNSSN ( 1 ) was determined from synchrotron powder‐diffraction studies in the pressure range 0–21.6 kbar. Radical 1 crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Fdd2, but undergoes an asymmetric contraction of the unit‐cell size with increasing pressure. At the molecular level, this contraction of the unit cell is simultaneously accommodated by: 1) an increase in twist angle between aryl and heterocyclic rings; and 2) a shortening of the intermolecular S ??? N contacts, which propagate the magnetic‐exchange pathway. DFT calculations based on the structures in this pressure range revealed an increase in the magnetic‐exchange interaction (J) with increasing pressure, and an excellent correlation was observed between J and the magnetic‐ordering temperature, which increased from 36 K at ambient pressure up to 70 K at 16 kbar.     

EPR studies of the dynamics and phase behaviour of dithiadiazolyl radicals derived from mesogenic precursors

A series of liquid-crystalline materials based on 4-substituted cyanobiphenyls, RC(6)H(4)C(6)H(4)CN (R = C(5)H(11), C(6)H(13), C(7)H(15), C(8)H(17) and C(12)H(25), commonly referred to as 5CB, 6CB, 7CB, 8CB and 12CB, respectively) were functionalised to give the corresponding dithiadiazolyl organic radicals RC(6)H(4)C(6)H(4)CNSSN(*) (compounds 1(*), 2(*), 3(*), 4(*) and 5(*), respectively). EPR spectra of n-C(12)H(25)C(6)H(4)C(6)H(4)CNSSN(*) (5(*)) reveal that it adopts a dimeric diamagnetic structure in the solid state with a small number of paramagnetic defect sites. Variable temperature electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies reveal a thermally activated rotation about the molecular long axis at temperatures above 314 K. The energy barrier to rotation about the phenylene-dithiadiazolyl bond was estimated as 25 kJ mol(-1) using density functional theory (DFT). At elevated temperatures thermal annealing was also observed, quenching the sample's paramagnetism.     

Robust S4⋅⋅⋅O Supramolecular Synthons: Structures of Radical-Radical Cocrystals [p-XC6F4CNSSN]2[TEMPO] (X=F,Cl, Br,I, CN)

Cocrystallization of the dithiadiazolyl (DTDA) radicals p-XC₆F₄CNSSN (X=F, Cl, Br, I, CN) with TEMPO afforded the 2 : 1 cocrystals [p-XC₆F₄CNSSN]₂[TEMPO] ( 1 – 5 ) whose structures all reflect a common S₄⋅⋅⋅O supramolecular motif. The nature of this interaction was probed by DFT calculations (M06/aug-cc-pVDZ) on 1 which revealed that the enthalpy of formation of the [C₆F₅CNSSN]₂[TEMPO] supramolecular motif from [C₆F₅CNSSN]₂ and TEMPO is substantial (−54.0 kJ mol⁻¹). Electronic structure calculations revealed a TEMPO-based doublet S= configuration as the ground state with limited spin density on the DTDA rings (2.4 %). The corresponding spin quartet state is +78.9 kJ mol⁻¹ higher in energy. An atoms-in-molecules analysis reveals four bond critical points (BCPs) between the TEMPO O and the DTDA S atoms as well as additional BCPs between selected DTDA S atoms and methyl H atoms of the TEMPO molecule. Herein, the structures of 2 – 5 are considered within the context of a hierarchical view of competing and complementary intermolecular interactions; in particular, the established supramolecular CN⋅⋅⋅S−S synthon is sacrificed in order to form the new S₄⋅⋅⋅O interaction.     

The preparation of, and electrochemical studies on, some substituted aryl dithiadiazolylium salts and dithiadiazolyl radicals

A series of aryl-substituted 1,2,3,5-dithiadiazolylium cations (I) and 1,3,2,4-dithiadiazolylium cations (II) were prepared as their hexafluoroarsenate(V) salts using standard methods. Electrochemical studies on I and II showed reversible one-electron reductions. The half-wave reduction potentials for a series of meta-substituted derivatives of both I and II exhibited a linear free energy relationship with the Hammett parameter, σ_m. The small value of the reaction constant, , for both meta and para-derivatives indicates that electronic effects are small and in the case of the ortho-derivatives of II, steric effects dominate the redox process. Reduction of the 1,2,3,5-dithiadiazolylium cations, as their chloride salts, yielded the corresponding dithiadiazolyl radicals (III).     

The Solid State Packing of Difluorophenyl-Dithiadiazolyl Radicals

The solid state structures of a series of difluorophenyl dithiadiazolyl radicals are presented and the packing described in terms of S...F, S...S, F...F secondary interactions.     

EPR STUDIES OF THE BISTABILITY IN CF3CNSSN

Condensation of CF₃C(═NH)NH₂ with SCl₂ yielded the dithiadiazolylium salt, [CF₃CNSSN]Cl which could be reduced to [CF₃CNSSN]₂ with Zn/Cu couple in SO₂. [CF₃CNSSN]₂ is a diamagnetic dimer in the solid state but melts at 308 K to give a paramagnetic liquid. On cooling the radical enters a metastable state before immediately re-solidifying below 295 K. The thermal hysteresis was probed by EPR spectroscopy. Metastable samples spontaneously solidified after an induction period, typically between ca. 5 and 30 min, consistent with the variable time necessary to form a seed crystal from which crystallization can occur.