One-pot synthesis of azabora[6]helicene by a Schiff base forming reaction.

Azabora[6]helicene as a new heterohelicene analogue was synthesized by a one-pot reaction of commercially available 2,6-diaminopyridine and benzo[c,d]indole-2(1H)-one and subsequent boron coordination. While the single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis elucidated a helical structure in the solid state, a dynamic helicity inversion was observed in solution.

Janus Pyrrolopyrrole Aza-dipyrrin: Hydrogen-Bonded Assemblies and Slow Magnetic Relaxation of the Cobalt(II) Complex in the Solid State.

A novel pyrrolopyrrole azadipyrrin (Janus-PPAD) with Janus duality was synthesized by a Schiff base-forming reaction of diketopyrrolopyrrole. The orthogonal interactions of the hydrogen-bonding ketopyrrole and metal-coordinating azadipyrrin moieties in Janus-PPAD enabled the metal ions to be arranged at regular intervals: zinc(II) and cobalt(II) coordination provided metal-coordinated Janus-PPAD dimers, which can subsequently form hydrogen-bonded one-dimensional arrays both in solution and in the solid state. The supramolecular assembly of the zinc(II) complex in solution was investigated by 1 H NMR spectroscopy based on the isodesmic model, in which a binding constant for the elongation of assemblies is constant. Owing to the tetrahedral coordination, in the solid state, the cobalt(II) complex exhibited a slow magnetic relaxation due to the negative D value of -27.1 cm-1 with an effective relaxation energy barrier Ueff of 38.0 cm-1 . The effect of magnetic dilution on the relaxation behavior is discussed. The relaxation mechanism at low temperature was analyzed by considering spin lattice interactions and quantum tunneling effects. The easy-axis magnetic anisotropy was confirmed, and the relevant wave functions were obtained by ab initio CASSCF calculations.

An Electron-Accepting aza-BODIPY-Based Donor-Acceptor-Donor Architecture for Bright NIR Emission.

A bright near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent molecule was developed based on the donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) approach using an aza-BODIPY analog called pyrrolopyrrole aza-BODIPY (PPAB) as an electron-accepting chromophore. Directly introducing electron-donating triphenylamine (TPA) to develop a D-A-D structure caused redshifts of absorption and emission of PPAB into the NIR region with an enhanced fluorescence brightness of up to 5.2×104  m-1 cm-1 , whereas inserting a phenylene linker between the TPA donor and the PPAB acceptor induced solvatochromic behavior in emission. Transient absorption spectra and theoretical calculations revealed the presence of a highly emissive hybridized locally excited and charge-transfer state in the former case and the contribution of the dark charge-separated state to the excited state in the latter case. The bright D-A-D PPAB as a novel emitter resulted in a NIR electroluminescence with a high external quantum efficiency of 3.7 % and a low amplified spontaneous emission threshold of ca. 80 µJ cm-2 , indicating the high potential for NIR optoelectronic applications.

TTF-Annulated Silicon Phthalocyanine Oligomers and Their External-Stimuli-Responsive Orientational Ordering.

Orientational control of functional molecules is essential to create complex functionalities as seen in nature; however, such artificial systems have remained challenge. Herein, we have succeeded in controlling rotational isomerism of µ-oxo silicon phthalocyanine (SiPc) oligomers to achieve an external-stimuli-responsive orientational ordering using intermolecular interactions of tetrathiafulvalene (TTF). In this system, three modes of orientations, free rotation, eclipsed conformation, and staggered conformation, were interconverted in response to the oxidation states of TTF, which varied interactions from association due to formation of mixed-valence TTF dimer to dissociation due to electrostatic repulsion between TTF dications. Furthermore, a stable performance of oligomers as a cathode material in a Li-ion battery proved that the one-dimensionally stacked, rotatable structure of SiPc oligomers is useful to control the orientation of functional molecules toward molecular electronics.

Subphthalocyanine-Stoppered [2]Rotaxanes: Synthesis and Size/Energy Threshold of Slippage.

Subphthalocyanine (SubPc)-stoppered [2]rotaxanes were synthesized for the first time. The rotaxane bearing unsubstituted SubPc as a stopper exhibited an equilibrium of slipping-on and slipping-off, whereas a perfluorinated SubPc stopper completely blocked slippage of the ring due to its slightly larger size. Kinetic studies revealed the Gibbs free energy of activation for the slipping-on and slipping-off processes. The optical properties of the rotaxanes, including photoinduced electron transfer, were also revealed.

Efficient Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence of Pyrrolopyrrole Aza-BODIPYs in the Near-Infrared Region with Tripropylamine: Involving Formation of S2 and T2 States.

Efficient electrogenerated chemiluminescences (ECLs) of three pyrrolopyrrole aza-BODIPYs in the near-infrared region by using tripropylamine as a coreactant are reported. Kinetic analysis based on Marcus theory indicates the direct formation of S2 and T2 states through the electron transfer reaction, which affects the ECL efficiencies.

Pyrrolopyrrole Aza-BODIPY Analogues as Near-Infrared Chromophores and Fluorophores: Red-Shift Effects of Substituents on Absorption and Emission Spectra.

Pyrrolopyrrole aza-BODIPY analogues (PPABs) are a new class of UV/vis and near-infrared chromophores. Varying the substituents results in red-shifts of both the absorption and emission spectra. Extension of the lengths of the oligothiophene substituents from thiophene to quaterthiophene caused red-shifts of the absorption and emission from 699 and 712 nm to 809 and 853 nm, respectively. The piperidylthiophene-substituted PPAB exhibited similar red-shifts of the absorption and emission to 810 and 831 nm, respectively, although only a single thienyl component is present, because of the strong electron-donating nature of the piperidine substituent.

Phenylene-Bridged Expanded Porphyrazines.

Novel expanded porphyrazines comprising o- and p-phenylene units were synthesized from self-condensation reactions of acyclic [2+1]-type precursors prepared from 1,3-diiminoisoindoline and the corresponding phenylenediamines. Möbius and Hückel topological structures of [4+2]-type and [3+2]-type expanded porphyrazines, respectively, were elucidated by X-ray crystallography. Despite the Möbius and Hückel [4n]π-electron systems, these expanded porphyrazines are virtually nonaromatic as a result of their flexible structures in solution, which may diminish intrinsic aromaticity and antiaromaticity.

Pyrene-Bridged Boron Subphthalocyanine Dimers: Combination of Planar and Bowl-Shaped π-Conjugated Systems for Creating Uniquely Curved π-Conjugated Systems.

Pyrene-bridged boron subphthalocyanine dimers were synthesized from a mixed-condensation reaction of 2,7-di-tert-butyl-4,5,9,10-tetracyanopyrene and tetrafluorophthalonitrile, and their syn and anti isomers arising from the result of connecting two bowl-shaped boron subphthalocyanine molecules were successfully separated. Expansion of the conjugated system of boron subphthalocyanine through a pyrene bridge caused a redshift of the Q band absorption relative to the parent pyrene-fused monomer, whereas combining the curved π-conjugation of boron subphthalocyanine with the planar π-conjugation of pyrene enabled facile embracement of C60 molecules, owing to the enhanced concave-convex π-π stacking interactions.