Synthesis, reactions, and electronic properties of 16 pi-electron octaisobutyltetraphenylporphyrin.

The reaction of the doubly oxidized beta-octaisobutyl-meso-tetraphenylporphyrin (OiBTPP, 4), which has a 16 pi-electronic structure at the porphyrin core, with a variety of metal reagents was investigated. The reaction of 4 with SnCl(2) followed by ethanolysis afforded an 18 pi-electron tin complex, (OiBTPP)Sn(OEt)(2) (5), in a redox manner. No reactions were observed using zerovalent metals (Zn, Cu, and Pd). However, the reaction of 16pi [(OiBTPP)Li](+)[BF(4)](-) (6), which was easily derived from 4, with Zn, Cu, and Pd(2)(dba)(3) gave the corresponding 18pi metalloporphyrins (OiBTPP)M (7, M = Zn(EtOH); 8, M = Cu; and 9, M = Pd). One-electron oxidation of the copper complex 8 by AgSbF(6) afforded a 17 pi-electron cation radical complex, [(OiBTPP)Cu](*+)[SbF(6)](-) (10). The UV-visible and electron spin resonance spectra of 10 were quite similar to those of previously reported beta-octaethyl-meso-tetraphenylporphyrin (OETPP) derivatives, [(OETPP)Cu](*+)X(-) (X = ClO(4), I). In contrast to the reaction of 6 with Zn to give the 18pi complex 7, the reaction of 4 with divalent ZnCl(2) enabled us to isolate a new 16pi porphyrin-zinc(II) complex, [(OiBTPP)Zn(Cl)](+)[ZnCl(3)](-) (11), in 92% yield. The solid-state structures of 5 and 7-11 were unambiguously determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. The porphyrin cores of 10 (17pi) and 11 (16pi) are much more distorted than those of the 18pi derivatives 5 and 7-9. Furthermore, the bond distances of 10 and 11 clearly showed the presence of bond alternation in contrast to aromatic 18pi species 8 and 7, respectively. Nucleus-independent chemical shift calculations of 4 and some metalated porphyrins indicated that the highly distorted 16pi porphyrins are essentially nonaromatic, with only weak antiaromaticity. Magnetic circular dichroism studies in conjunction with ZINDO/S calculations assisted in identifying the electronic transitions of the UV-vis spectra of key porphyrins. Electrochemical and thin-layer UV-vis spectroelectrochemical experiments on 4 (16pi) and 11 (16pi) indicated that both compounds can be electroreduced to give the 18pi species, with the 16pi/18pi transition being reversible in the case of [(OiBTPP)Zn(Cl)](+)[ZnCl(3)](-) (11).

Synthesis and structure of a hexacoordinate carbon compound.

In an exploration of six coordination and hypervalence in carbon compounds, steric constraints have been employed to bring four ether O atoms in close proximity to an allenic carbon atom. The dimethylated dication 2 is confirmed to have hexacoordinate carbon by experimental charge density analysis and DFT calculations and is arguably hypervalent.

Synthesis and structure of 16 pi octaalkyltetraphenylporphyrins.

The oxidized octaethyltetraphenylporphyrin (1, OETPP) and the corresponding newly prepared octaisobutyltetraphenylporphyrin (3, OisoBuTPP) could be isolated from the reaction of OETPPLi2 (or OisoBuTPPLi2) with SOCl2. The X-ray analysis and the characteristic UV-vis spectra of 1 and 3 revealed that these are the first examples of 16 pi nonaromatic porphyrins.

Optically active seleninate esters: isolation, absolute configuration, racemization mechanism, and transformation into chiral selenoxide.

Optically active seleninate esters were obtained for the first time by chromatographic resolution on an optically active column. The absolute configurations of the optically active seleninate esters were determined by comparing their chiroptical properties with those of two analogous sulfinate esters, the absolute configuration of one of which is known and that of the other was determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis. The optically active seleninate esters were found to racemize in solution. Kinetic studies of the racemization, the oxygen exchange reaction with H(2)(18)O, and theoretical studies clarified that the racemization of the optically active seleninate esters in solution proceeded via an achiral hypervalent selenurane intermediate that was formed by the reaction with water. The reaction of the optically active seleninate ester and the sulfinate ester having bulky substituents with Grignard reagents was found to proceed with the retention of stereochemistry to give an optically active selenoxide and sulfoxides, respectively.

Synthesis and characterization of stable hypervalent carbon compounds (10-C-5) bearing a 2,6-bis(p-substituted phenyloxymethyl)benzene ligand.

X-ray analysis of bis(p-fluorophenyl)methyl cation bearing a 2,6-bis(p-tolyloxymethyl)benzene ligand showed a symmetrical structure (10-C-5) where the two C-O distances are identical, although the distance (2.690(4) A) is longer than those (2.43(1) and 2.45(1) A) of 1,8-dimethoxy-9-dimethoxymethylanthracene monocation, which was recently reported by us. However, X-ray analysis of the more stable aromatic xanthylium cation with the same benzene ligand showed the tetracoordinate carbon structure where only one of the two oxygen ligands is coordinated with the central carbon atom. These results clearly indicate that the carbocations (10-C-5) bearing the sterically flexible benzene ligand were quite sensitive to the electronic effect on the central carbon atom. The electron distribution analysis by accurate X-ray measurements and the density functional calculation on the initially mentioned bis(p-fluorophenyl)methyl cation clearly show that the central carbon atom and the two oxygen atoms are bonded even if the bond is weak and ionic based on the small value of the electron density (rho(r)) and the small positive Laplacian value (nabla(2)rho(r)) at the bond critical points.

Syntheses and structures of hypervalent pentacoordinate carbon and boron compounds bearing an anthracene skeleton--elucidation of hypervalent interaction based on X-ray analysis and DFT calculation.

Pentacoordinate and tetracoordinate carbon and boron compounds (27, 38, 50-52, 56-61) bearing an anthracene skeleton with two oxygen or nitrogen atoms at the 1,8-positions were synthesized by the use of four newly synthesized tridentate ligand precursors. Several carbon and boron compounds were characterized by X-ray crystallographic analysis, showing that compounds 27, 56-59 bearing an oxygen-donating anthracene skeleton had a trigonal bipyramidal (TBP) pentacoordinate structure with relatively long apical distances (ca. 2.38-2.46 A). Despite the relatively long apical distances, DFT calculation of carbon species 27 and boron species 56 and experimental accurate X-ray electron density distribution analysis of 56 supported the existence of the apical hypervalent bond even though the nature of the hypervalent interaction between the central carbon (or boron) and the donating oxygen atom was relatively weak and ionic. On the other hand, X-ray analysis of compounds 50-52 bearing a nitrogen-donating anthracene skeleton showed unsymmetrical tetracoordinate carbon or boron atom with coordination by only one of the two nitrogen-donating groups. It is interesting to note that, with an oxygen-donating skeleton, the compound 61 having two chlorine atoms on the central boron atom showed a tetracoordinate structure, although the corresponding compound 60 with two fluorine atoms showed a pentacoordinate structure. The B-O distances (av 2.29 A) in 60 were relatively short in comparison with those (av 2.44 A) in 59 having two methoxy groups on the central boron atom, indicating that the B-O interaction became stronger due to the electron-withdrawing nature of the fluorine atoms.

Ferro- and ferrimagnetic chains of hin-bridged copper(II) and manganese(II) and hnn-bridged manganese(II) complexes (hin = 4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazolin-1-oxyl; hnn = 4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazolin-1-oxyl 3-oxide).

We have exploited potential utility of 4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazolin-1-oxyl (hin) and 4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazolin-1-oxyl 3-oxide (hnn) as mu-1,4 and mu-1,5 bridging ligands, respectively, carrying an unpaired electron in development of metal-radical hybrid magnets. X-ray diffraction measurements of [Cu(hfac)(2)hin] (1), [Mn(hfac)(2)hin] (2), and [Mn(hfac)(2)hnn] (3) revealed one-dimensional metal-radical alternating chain structures, where hfac denotes 1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoropentane-2,4-dionate. Magnetic measurements of 1 indicate the presence of intrachain ferromagnetic coupling between copper and radical spins. The magnetic exchange parameter was estimated as 2J/k = 56.8 K based on an S = 1/2 equally spaced ferromagnetic chain model (H = -2J summation operator S(i).S(i+1)). This ferromagnetic interaction can be explained in terms of the axial coordination of the hin nitrogen or oxygen to Cu(II). The chi(m)T value of 2 and 3 increased on cooling, and the magnetic data could be analyzed by Seiden's ferrimagnetic chain model, giving 2J/k = -325 and -740 K, respectively. The antiferromagnetic interaction of 2 and 3 can be attributed to orbital overlap between the manganese and the oxygen or nitrogen magnetic orbitals. The exchange interactions between Cu-hin and Mn-hnn are larger than those of typical Cu- and Mn-nitronyl nitroxide complexes, indicating that the choice of small ligands is a promising strategy to bestow strong exchange interaction. Compound 3 became a ferrimagnet below 4.4 K, owing to ferromagnetic coupling among the ferrimagnetic chains.

Mechanism of the first-order phase transition of an acylurea derivative: observation of intermediate stages of transformation with a detailed temperature-resolved single-crystal diffraction method.

The process of the first-order solid-to-solid phase transition of 1-ethyl-3-(4-methylpentanoyl)urea (1) was observed by means of a detailed temperature-resolved single-crystal diffraction method, which resembles watching a series of stop-motion photographs. The transition consists of two elementary processes, one supramolecular and the other molecular. Crystal structures from before and after the phase transition are isostructural. The straight-ribbon-like one-dimensional hydrogen-bonding structure is formed and stacked to form a molecular layer. The geometry of the layer is retained during the phase transition. The relative position of the layer with its neighbours, on the other hand, changes gradually with increasing temperature. The change is accelerated at the temperature representing the start of the endotherm seen in the DSC curves of (1). The structural variation yields void space between the neighbouring layers. When the void space grows enough that the crystal is unstable, the 3-methylbutyl group on the last of the molecules turns into a disordered structure with drastic conformational changes to fill up the void space. The phase transition process is well supported with simple force-field calculations. A crystal of 1-(4-methylpentanoyl)-3-propylurea (2), which shows no solid-to-solid phase transitions, was also analysed by the same method for comparison.

Synthesis and Reactivity of New 1,4-Bis(alkylthio)-3,6-diarylthieno[3,4-c]thiophene Derivatives.

1,4-Bis(tert-butylthio)-3,6-diphenyl- and 3,6-di(2-thienyl)thieno[3,4-c]thiophenes (2a,b)were synthesized from 2-(tert-butylthio)-3-phenyl- and 3-(2-thienyl)cyclopropenethiones (1a,b) and triphenylphosphine in dry benzene at 50 degrees C, although similar treatment of 2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl, N,N-diethylamino, pyrrolidino, and diphenyl-substituted cyclopropenethiones (1c-h) did not result in the production of the corresponding thieno[3,4-c]thiophene derivatives. The possible reaction pathway for the formation of 2a,b is described. The protonation of 2a with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) gave 4-(tert-butylthio)-3,6-diphenylthieno[3,4-c]thiophene-1(3H)-thione (13a), the treatment of which with sodium hydride and then isopropyl iodide led to 4-(tert-butylthio)-3,6-diphenyl-1-(isopropylthio)thieno[3,4-c]thiophene (16) by the regeneration of the thieno[3,4-c]thiophene ring system, this making possible the synthesis of other alkylthio-substituted thieno[3,4-c]thiophene derivatives. The reactions of 2a,b with N-phenylmaleimide (NPM) gave predominantly the endo-cycloadducts (17a,b) at the 1- and 3-positions, and that of 2a with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAD) led to the benzo[c]thiophene derivative (19) by desulfurization.