Synthesis of optically active amphiphilic tetrathiafulvalene derivatives

The synthesis and characterization of novel chiral tetrathiafulvalenes bearing two long alkyl chains at one end of the π-electron rich unit and different functional groups—ester, acid or thiolate—at the other extreme is described. The synthetic method requires the preparation of 1,3-dithiol derivatives with two stereogenic centers. Different routes and reaction conditions were explored to form these compounds, whose optimized synthesis involved the nucleophilic substitution of a chiral bromo methylene derivative with tetrabutylammonium bis(2-thioxo-1,3-dithiole-4,5-dithiolate)zincate. The tetrathiafulvalenes were prepared by coupling the 1,3-dithiol derivative with 4,5-bis(methoxycarbonyl)-1,3-dithiol-2-one or 4,5-bis(2-cyanotehylthio)-1,3-dithiol-2-thione. The products were fully characterized, including by circular dichroism spectroscopy, which confirmed their optical activity. They are promising candidates to be used as building blocks in supramolecular materials for molecular electronics, to produce systems with unique electrical, magnetic or optical properties that stem from their chirality.