RESUMO
The photochemical cyclodehydrochlorination (CDHC) reaction has recently been used to prepare a wide variety of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and graphene nanoribbons (GNRs). However, the parameters affecting the efficiency of this reaction have been scarcely studied. In this work, we investigated how the reaction conditions influence the outcome of the reaction. The effect of functional groups on the different phenyl rings of the o-terphenyl scaffold was also studied. The reaction kinetics follow the same trend as Hammett's constant when electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups are present on the ring bearing the chlorine. The CDHC reaction can be successfully performed using less energetic 365â nm light in the presence of a triplet sensitizer. Computational results provide insight on the reaction mechanism, notably by identifying its three intermediate structures as well as its limiting step.
RESUMO
The solution-phase synthesis is one of the most promising strategies for the preparation of well-defined graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) in large scale. To prepare high quality, defect-free GNRs, cycloaromatization reactions need to be very efficient, proceed without side reaction and mild enough to accommodate the presence of various functional groups. In this Minireview, we present the latest synthetic approaches for the synthesis of GNRs and related structures, including alkyne benzannulation, photochemical cyclodehydrohalogenation, Mallory and Pd- and Ni-catalyzed reactions.