Dearomative Construction of 2D/3D Frameworks from Quinolines via Nucleophilic Addition/Borate-Mediated Photocycloaddition.

Dearomative construction of multiply-fused 2D/3D frameworks, composed of aromatic two-dimensional (2D) rings and saturated three-dimensional (3D) rings, from readily available quinolines has greatly contributed to drug discovery. However, dearomative cycloadditions of quinolines in the presence of photocatalysts usually afford 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinoline (THQ)-based polycycles, and dearomative access to 1,2,3,4-THQ-based structures remains limited. Herein, we present a chemo-, regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselective dearomative transformation of quinolines into 1,2,3,4-THQ-based 6-6-4-membered rings without any catalyst, through a combination of nucleophilic addition and borate-mediated [2+2] photocycloaddition. Detailed mechanistic studies revealed that the photoexcited borate complex, generated from quinoline, organolithium, and HB(pin), accelerates the cycloaddition and suppresses the rearomatization that usually occurs in conventional photocycloaddition. Based on our mechanistic analysis, we also developed further photoinduced cycloadditions affording other types of 2D/3D frameworks from isoquinoline and phenanthrene.

Enantioselective Synthesis of Axially Chiral Figure-Eight Spirocycloparaphenylenes via Rh-Catalyzed Intermolecular [2 + 2 + 2] Cycloaddition.

We have achieved the enantioselective synthesis of axially chiral figure-eight spiro[9.9]cycloparaphenylene (CPP) tetracarboxylates with up to 75:25 er via the cationic Rh(I)/(R)-H8-BINAP complex-catalyzed chemo-, regio-, and enantioselective intermolecular double [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of an achiral symmetric tetrayne with dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates followed by reductive aromatization. The spiro[9.9]CPP tetracarboxylates are highly distorted at the phthalate moieties with large dihedral and boat angles and exhibit weak aggregation-induced emission enhancement behavior.

Stereoselective synthesis of [2.2]triphenylenophanes via intramolecular double [2 + 2 + 2] cycloadditions.

Planar chiral [2.2]cyclophanes with two aromatic rings in close proximity have attracted much attention for their applications as chiral materials and catalysts because of their stable chirality and transannular interactions. Although numerous [2.2]cyclophanes have been synthesized to date, only a few polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-based ones have been reported, and the simultaneous control of two planar chiralities of the two aromatic rings facing each other has not been achieved. Here we report the enantio- and/or diastereoselective synthesis of planar chiral PAH-based [2.2]cyclophanes ([2.2]triphenylenophanes) via the high-yielding base-mediated intermolecular macrocyclization and Rh- or Ni-catalyzed intramolecular double [2 + 2 + 2] cycloadditions. DFT calculations have revealed that the second [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition kinetically determines the diastereoselectivity. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses have confirmed that the facing triphenylene or [5]helicene skeletons strongly repel each other, resulting in curved structures with bulged centers.

Enantioselective Synthesis of Axially Chiral Styrene-Carboxylic Esters by Rhodium-Catalyzed Chelation-Controlled [2+2+2] Cycloaddition.

Axially chiral styrene-carboxylic esters were synthesized in high yields with excellent enantioselectivity by the cationic rhodium(I)/H8 -BINAP complex-catalyzed chelation-controlled [2+2+2] cycloaddition reactions of 1,6- and 1,7-diynes with 1,3-enyne-carboxylic esters. The diastereo- and enantioselective synthesis of C2 symmetric axially chiral cis and trans-stilbene-dicarboxylic esters was also achieved by the double [2+2+2] cycloaddition reactions of two molecules of the 1,6-diyne with 2,3-dialkynylmaleate and 2,3-dialkynylfumarate, respectively. In these reactions, the 1,3-enyne-carboxylic esters coordinating to rhodium with a five-membered chelate were more reactive than those coordinating to rhodium with a six-membered chelate, although both chelation modes realized excellent enantioselectivity. The enantioselection mechanism of the cationic rhodium(I)-catalyzed chelation-controlled [2+2+2] cycloaddition was elucidated by DFT calculations.

Synthesis of Cyclophenacene- and Chiral-Type Cyclophenylene-Naphthylene Belts.

We report the synthesis of a [20]cyclophenacene-type cyclophenylene-naphthylene (CPN) belt and the enantioselective synthesis of chiral-type CPN belts (up to >99 % ee) by the cationic rhodium(I)-catalyzed intramolecular [2+2+2] cycloaddition of naphthalene-embedded cyclic polyynes. The synthesis of a depth-expanded CPN belt was also attempted, but the final intramolecular [2+2+2] cycloaddition was unsuccessful. Theoretical calculations clarified that the reactivity depends on the stability of the transition state in the initial oxidative cycloaddition step which is subject to molecular strain. The cylindrical structures of these CPN belts were confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analyses. As a result of π-extension through the introduction of naphthalenes in the chiral-type CPN belts, the anisotropy dissymmetry factors of electronic circular dichroism and circularly polarized luminescence are amplified compared with the corresponding zigzag-type chiral cyclophenylene belts.

Oxidative [4 + 2] annulation of 1-naphthols with alkynes accelerated by an electron-deficient rhodium(III) catalysts.

The 1,3-diethoxycarbonyl-2,4,5-trimethylcyclopentadienyl (CpE) rhodium(III) complex displayed high efficacy in the catalytic oxidative annulation of 1-naphthols with internal alkynes under mild conditions. DFT calculations revealed that lower activation energies for the concerted metalation-deprotonation and the reductive elimination steps are the key to improved reactivity.

Asymmetric synthesis, structures, and chiroptical properties of helical cycloparaphenylenes.

Planar chiral carbon nanorings and nanobelts (CNRs and CNBs), the sidewall segment molecules of chiral-type carbon nanotubes (CNTs), have attracted attention owing to their characteristic chiroptical properties. From the appropriate CNTs, axially or planar chiral CNRs and CNBs have been designed and synthesized, but multiply helical sidewall segments were almost unexplored due to the difficulty in simultaneous control of multiple chiralities. In this article, we have succeeded in the perfectly diastereo- and enantiocontrolled catalytic synthesis of a cycloparaphenylene with four helical and two planar chiralities showing good chiroptical responses as chiral organic molecules. The perfectly stereocontrolled multiply helical structure was confirmed by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The experimental and theoretical studies established the importance of the highly symmetric multiply helical structure in the cylindrical axis in obtaining good chiroptical responses.

Rhodium-Catalyzed Enantioselective Synthesis, Structures, and Properties of Single and Double Azahelicene-Like Molecules.

The enantioselective synthesis of aza[6] and [7]helicene-like molecules have been achieved by the cationic rhodium(I)/axially chiral biaryl bisphosphine complex-catalyzed intramolecular [2+2+2] cycloaddition of cyanodiynes. This protocol was successfully applied to the diastereo- and enantioselective synthesis of an S-shaped double aza[6]helicene-like molecule with a high ee value of 89 %. Although no epimerization and racemization were observed in the double carbo[6]helicene-like molecule at 80 °C, epimerization and racemization of the double aza[6]helicene-like molecule proceeded at 80 °C. This double aza[6]helicene-like molecule showed good fluorescent quantum yields and chiroptical responses under both neutral and acidic conditions.

Synthesis, Structures, and Properties of Highly Strained Cyclophenylene-Ethynylenes with Axial and Helical Chirality.

Single and double cyclophenylene-ethynylenes (CPEs) with axial and helical chirality have been synthesized by the Sonogashira cross-coupling of di- and tetraethynyl biphenyls with a U-shaped prearomatic diiodoparaphenylene followed by reductive aromatization. X-ray crystallographic analyses and DFT calculations revealed that the CPEs possess highly twisted bent structures. Bend angles on the edge of the paraphenylene units were close to the value of [5]cycloparaphenylene (CPP)-the smallest CPP to date. The double and single CPEs possessed stable chirality despite flexible biphenyl structures because of the high strain in the diethynyl-paraphenylene moiety. In both the single and double CPEs, orbital interactions along the biphenyl axis were observed by DFT calculations in LUMO and LUMO+2 of the single CPE and LUMO+1 of the double CPE, which likely cause lowering of these orbital energies. Concerning chiroptical properties: boosting of the gabs value was observed in the biphenyl-based double CPE, as well as the binaphthyl-based single CPE, compared to the biphenyl-based single CPE.

Enantioselective Synthesis of Planar Chiral Zigzag-Type Cyclophenylene Belts by Rhodium-Catalyzed Alkyne Cyclotrimerization.

Planar chiral zigzag-type [8]- and [12]cyclophenylene (CP) belts have been synthesized in good yields with high ee values of 98% and 83%, respectively, by the rhodium-catalyzed enantioselective intramolecular sequential cyclotrimerizations of the corresponding cyclic polyynes. The observed high enantioselectivity arises from the regioselective formation of a rhodacycle intermediate from an unsymmetric triyne unit. The X-ray crystal structural analysis of the racemic planar chiral zigzag-type [8]CP belt revealed that the uneven molecules mesh with each other to form a one-dimensional columnar packing structure, in which one column contains single enantiomers, giving two types of chiral columns [(S)- and (R)-form columns] arranged alternately. The ring strain of the zigzag-type [8]CP belt was smaller than that of the armchair-type [8]CPP belt despite its smaller ring size, due to the presence of the strain-relieving m-terphenyl moieties. The effect of the number of the benzene rings of the zigzag-type CP belts on absorption and emission peaks was small due to interruption of π-conjugation at the m-phenylene moieties. However, the bending effect on the absolute fluorescence quantum yield as well as absorption and emission peaks was significant. Concerning chiroptical properties, the modest anisotropy dissymmetry factors of ECD and CPL were observed in the [8]CP belt.

Enantioselective Synthesis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH)-Based Planar Chiral Bent Cyclophanes by Rhodium-Catalyzed [2+2+2] Cycloaddition.

The enantioselective synthesis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-based planar chiral cyclophanes was achieved for the first time by the rhodium-catalyzed intramolecular regio- and enantioselective [2+2+2] cycloaddition of tethered diyne-benzofulvenes followed by stepwise oxidative transformations. The thus synthesized planar chiral bent cyclophanes, that possess bent p-terphenyl- and 9-fluorenone-cores, were converted to 9-fluorenol-based ones with excellent ee values of >99 % by diastereoselective 1,2-reduction. These 9-fluorenol-based cyclophanes exhibited high fluorescence quantum yields, which were significantly higher than that of an acyclic reference molecule (78-82 % vs. 48 %). The bending effect on the chiroptical property was also examined, which revealed that the anisotropy factors (gabs values) for electronic circular dichroism (ECD) of these 9-fluorenol-based planar chiral bent cyclophanes increase as the tether length becomes shorter.

Rhodium-Catalyzed ortho-Bromination of O-Phenyl Carbamates Accelerated by a Secondary Amide-Pendant Cyclopentadienyl Ligand.

It has been established that a newly developed cyclopentadienyl rhodium(III) [CpA RhIII ] complex, bearing an acidic secondary amide moiety on the Cp ring, is able to catalyze the ortho-bromination of O-phenyl carbamates with N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) at room temperature. The presence of the acidic secondary amide moiety on the CpA ligand accelerates the bromination by the hydrogen bond between the acidic NH group of the CpA ligand and the carbonyl group of NBS.

Synthesis of a Strained Spherical Carbon Nanocage by Regioselective Alkyne Cyclotrimerization.

The smallest spherical carbon nanocage so far, [2.2.2]carbon nanocage, has been synthesized by the cationic rhodium(I)/H8 -binap complex-catalyzed regioselective intermolecular cyclotrimerization of a cis-1-ethynyl-4-arylcyclohexadiene derivative followed by the triple Suzuki-Miyaura cross-couplings with 1,3,5-triborylbenzene and reductive aromatization. This cage molecule is highly strained, and its ring strain is between those of [6] and [5]cycloparaphenylenes. A significant red-shift of an emission maximum was observed, compared with that of known [4.4.4]carbon nanocage. The sequential cyclotrimerizations of a cis-1,4-diethynylcyclohexadiene derivative with the same rhodium(I) catalyst followed by reductive aromatization failed to afford [1.1.1]carbon nanocage; instead, a ß-graph-shaped cage molecule was generated.