Strained and unstrained macrocycles composed of carbazole and butadiyne units: electronic state and optical properties.

Cu(OAc)(2) catalyzes dehydrogenative condensation of 3,6-bis(2-ethynylphenyl)carbazole in the presence of O(2) to afford the cyclization product 1 and cyclodimer 2. Compound 1 contains bent carbazole and butadiyne groups, while 2 has a less strained structure with Z shape around the two parallel butadiyne groups. Optical properties of the compounds are discussed based on the electronic states estimated from electrochemical measurement and density functional theory calculation.