Effect of Annulation Mode of Twistarene on the Physical Property and Self-Assembly Behavior of Functionalized Curved Aromatic Molecules

Four novel curved polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons 3 a , 5 , 8 , 15 a have been synthesized and characterized, where molecules 3 a and 15 a bear [5]carbohelicene units. X-ray single crystal analyses indicate that compound 3 a shows offset packing arrangements of (P₅)- and (M₅)-isomers, and 15 a has a symmetrical plane and looks like a butterfly. In comparison, 8 exhibits a slightly curved structure, in which the significant convex-to-convex π-overlap with the shortest distance of 3.42 Å occurs. In addition, the effect of annulation mode of twistarenes on the physical properties, self-assembly behaviors, and switchable photoconductivity of the as-prepared curved aromatic compounds were further examined in a comparative manner.