A C(3)-symmetric chiroptical molecular propeller based on hexakis(phenylethynyl)benzene with a threefold terephthalamide: stereospecific propeller generation through the cooperative transmission of point chiralities on the host and guest upon complexation.

Propeller-shaped dynamic helicity was generated in a hexakis(phenylethynyl)benzene framework that preferred a particular sense to afford a strong CD signal, which was realized by the cooperative transmission of point chiralities upon complexation with a chiral guest through a threefold binding site presented by a syn-formed terephthalamide.

Hydrindacene-based acetylenic macrocycles with horizontally and vertically ordered functionality arrays.

The macrocyclization of 2,6-diethynyl hydrindacenes (1) with functional groups at mutually perpendicular positions results in the formation of novel macrocycles which, as a result of the hindered rotation of the hydrindacene units, possess directionally persistent peripheral functionalities. The two hydrindacene units in the dimer macrocycle (2) have been shown to interact electronically through their respective butadiyne moieties, whereas the trimer macrocycle (3) demonstrates a moderate degree of geometrical flexibility as a result of the five-membered hydrindacene rings. In addition, these trimer macrocycles contain a central cavity suitably sized for the inclusion of various solvent molecules. These new macrocycles can be further modified by introducing π-conjugated side groups, such as styryl and thienyl groups, as well as by attaching a variety of peripheral ester groups.

Superperiodic assembly of 2,6-diethynylpyridine through weak hydrogen bonds at the 1-phenyloctane/HOPG interface.

Regardless of the absence of alkyl chains and conventional hydrogen bonding sites as well as its small size, 2,6-diethynylpyridine forms an ordered array at the interface between 1-phenyloctane and highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) under room temperature conditions, as revealed by scanning tunneling microscopy. We propose a model for the superperiodic molecular arrangement with reference to the bulk crystal structure, in which the surface pattern is governed by weak C-H...N and C-H...pi hydrogen bonds as well as the periodic potential of the underlying graphite surface.

Tetracyanoanthraquinodimethanes with a chiral amide group: preparation, properties, and charge-transfer photochirogenetic reaction with 1,2-dianisylacenaphthene-1,2-diol.

[reaction: see text] A series of butterfly-shaped tetracyanoanthraquinodimethanes (TCNAQs) with a chiral amide auxiliary 1a-f were prepared from the corresponding anthraquinones. They are stronger acceptors than the unsubstituted derivative and undergo one-wave two-electron reduction. They form weak electron-donor-acceptor (EDA) complexes with the title pinacol 2. Upon charge-transfer excitation of these complexes, dihydro-TCNAQs 3 and 1,8-dianisoylnaphthalene 4 were efficiently formed, the latter of which is the product of a retropinacol reaction via 2+*. Partial enantiodifferentiation of rac-2 was realized during the photoreactions with 2-[(R)-1-phenylethylcarbamoyl]-TCNAQ 1ain CD3CN. Thus, optically active (S,S)-(+)-pinacol 2 (12.3% ee at 54% conversion; 21.5% ee at 70% conversion) was recovered from the photolyzates. This reaction represents a new and rare example of the pseudokinetic resolution of tert-alcohol accompanied by C-C bond fission. Significant differences in the association constants for the diastereomeric EDA complexes are responsible for the observed enantiodifferentiation.

Kinetic stabilization of the o-quinoidal 3,4-benzotropone system.

Kinetic stabilization of the o-quinoidal 3,4-benzotropone system was investigated. The parent 3,4-benzotropone undergoes rapid [pi8 + pi10] dimerization in fluid solution even at -78 degree C while triptycene-fused derivative having a tert-butyl group at the C6 position of the tropone moiety was found to be stable indefinitely under similar conditions. The relative importance of the triptycene moiety and the tert-butyl group in for the kinetic stabilization was evaluated.

Pi-extended o-quinoidal tropone derivatives: experimental and theoretical studies of naphtho[2,3-c]tropone and anthro[2,3-c]tropone.

pi-Extended o-quinoidal tropone derivatives, naphtho[2,3-c]tropone (3) and anthro[2,3-c]tropone (4), have been investigated theoretically as well as experimentally. The geometrical optimization of 3,4 and related compounds at the B3LYP level employing 6-31G* basis set as well as the GIAO calculations at the RHF level employing the 6-31+G* basis set have been performed to evaluate the contributions of the polarized resonance forms to these molecules. The GIAO calculated NICS(1) values indicate that the aromaticities of the tropone rings of o-quinoidal 3 and 4 are significantly increased as compared with that of parent tropone (1) at the expense of the fused benzenoid rings, consistent with the significant electronic polarization of these molecules in the ground state. On the other hand, the fusion of a benzene or naphthalene ring to the 2,3- or 4,5-position of tropone leads to diminution of aromaticity in the resulting tropone moiety. Experimentally, irradiation of 6,7-(2',3'-naphtho)bicyclo[3.2.0]hepta-3,6-dien-2-one (10) in a rigid glass at -196 degrees C leads to the formation of, which exhibits a characteristic UV-Vis absorption extending to 700 nm and undergoes rapid [pi 12 + pi 14] dimerization upon thawing the glass. In contrast, 6,7-(2',3'-anthro)bicyclo[3.2.0]hepta-3,6-dien-2-one (11) showed no sign of isomerization to 4 under the same reaction conditions.

Functionalization and kinetic stabilization of the [4]paracyclophane system and aromaticity of its extremely bent benzene ring.

Kinetic stabilization of the [4]paracyclophane skeleton by the introduction of substituents, which serve to sterically hinder reactions at the reactive bridgehead sites, and properties of the resultant [4]paracyclophanes are investigated in this study. Modification of the property of [4]paracyclophane by functionalization is also intended. [4]Paracyclophanes are designed to be derived from the corresponding Dewar benzene isomers via their photochemical aromatization, and the requisite 1,4-bridged Dewar benzenes bearing sterically demanding functional groups are prepared. Irradiation of these precursors under matrix isolation at 77 K leads to the formation of [4]paracyclophanes, which exhibit characteristic electronic absorption spectra. The half-lives of the generated species vary widely from less than 1 min at -90 degrees C to 0.5 h at -20 degrees C, depending on the type of substituents and the pattern of substitution. One of the derivatives, 24, is stable enough and its content in the irradiated mixture is high enough to permit the measurement of the (1)H NMR spectrum. The recorded spectrum, which is reproduced very well by theoretical calculations using the GIAO method at the hybrid HF-DFT (B3LYP/6-31+G*) level, suggests the sustenance of rather strong diatropicity in its severely bent benzene moiety. Calculations on the bent benzene whose geometry is constrained to that calculated for 24 support that aromaticity is retained to a significant extent as compared to that of planar benzene, as judged by the magnetic criteria of aromaticity, that is, diamagnetic susceptibility exaltation and nucleus-independent chemical shift. The reason for the retention of aromaticity despite the severe bending of the benzene ring is discussed. Cyclophane 24 is so strained that it exceeds the corresponding Dewar benzene precursor in energy and thermally reverts to the latter with a half-life of 15 +/- 5 min at -20 degrees C (DeltaG++ = 18.3 +/- 0.3 kcal mol(-1)).

Supramolecular graphyne: a C(sp)-H...N hydrogen-bonded unique network structure of 2,4,6-triethynyl-1,3,5-triazine.

The crystallization of 2,4,6-triethynyl-1,3,5-triazine (2) leads to a pi-stacked layered structure of a C(sp)-H...N hydrogen-bonded unique hexagonal network structure, which may be regarded as a supramolecular analogue of a hitherto unknown graphyne network: in-plane intermolecular interactions are short and linear H...N contacts (2.31 and 2.34 A) and the interlayer separation is 3.23 A.

A Redox Switch Based on Dihydro[5]helicene: Drastic Chiroptical Response Induced by Reversible C-C Bond Making/Breaking upon Electron Transfer.

Helicity and axial chirality are reversibly interconverted in the novel redox pair 1 and 22+ ; the compounds exhibit drastic UV/Vis and circular dichroism spectral changes as well as dynamic structural changes upon electron transfer, thus furnishing an unprecedented multi-output response system with high bistability. X=S or O.

A Kinetically Stabilized [1.1]Paracyclophane: Isolation and X-Ray Structural Analysis.

Benzene rings severely bent and closely stacked face-to-face are revealed in the crystal structure of the [1.1]paracyclophane derivative 1, which could be isolated thanks to the kinetic stabilization provided by the steric shielding of the bridgehead sites by the substituents.