Benzannelated annulenes -12. : Theoretical study of geometries and 1H chemical shifts of benzannelated [14] annulenes

The geometries and the ¹H chemical shifts of dihydropyrene $\text{1}$ and its benzannelated derivatives $\text{2}$–$\text{8}$ have been studied by means of semiempirical quantum chemical procedures. The calculated bond lengths of $\text{1}$ and proton shifts of $\text{1}$ – $\text{5}$ are in good accord with the corresponding experimental values. We show that monobenzannelation in $\text{2}$ – $\text{4}$ causes considerable bond length alternation in the 14] perimeter and hence reduced diatropocity. The same is true for the phenanth-fused dibenzannelated compounds $\text{4}$ and $\text{7}$. On the other hand we report evidence that anth-fused dibenzannelated dihydropyrenes $\text{5}$, $\text{6}$, and $\text{8}$ should be characterized by symmetric geometrical structures without significant bond length alternation thus leading to enhanced diatropicity.