Themed collection Challenges in Aromaticity: 150 Years after Kekulé’s Benzene
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Challenges in aromaticity: 150 years after Kekulé's benzene
Guest editors Nazario Martín and Lawrence T. Scott introduce the Challenges in Aromaticity: 150 years after Kekulé's benzene issue of Chemical Society Reviews
Chem. Soc. Rev., 2015,44, 6397-6400
https://doi.org/10.1039/C5CS90085A
New advances in nanographene chemistry
This review discusses recent advancements in nanographene chemistry, focusing on the bottom-up synthesis of graphene molecules and graphene nanoribbons.
Chem. Soc. Rev., 2015,44, 6616-6643
https://doi.org/10.1039/C5CS00183H
“Carbo-aromaticity” and novel carbo-aromatic compounds
Recent advances in experimental and theoretical studies of carbo-benzene derivatives, along with the proposition of a generalization of the definition of aromaticity to the two-membered π-rings of triple bonds, suggest relevance for the notion of “carbo-aromaticity”.
Chem. Soc. Rev., 2015,44, 6535-6559
https://doi.org/10.1039/C5CS00244C
Recent developments and future prospects of all-metal aromatic compounds
This review illustrates recent advances in extending aromaticity/antiaromaticity concepts to inorganic and all-metal rings in order to account for their electronic structure and stability.
Chem. Soc. Rev., 2015,44, 6519-6534
https://doi.org/10.1039/C5CS00341E
Magnetic criteria of aromaticity
A review summarizing recent advances in magnetic criteria for identification and evaluation of aromaticity.
Chem. Soc. Rev., 2015,44, 6597-6615
https://doi.org/10.1039/C5CS00114E
Cyclophanes containing large polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
Big, bigger, biggest. This Review puts the spotlight on the handful of PAHs with four or more rings that have been incorporated into cyclophanes. Lessons in synthesis, structure, fundamental concepts and properties abound in these remarkable molecules that feature PAHs ranging in size from pyrene to hexabenzocoronene.
Chem. Soc. Rev., 2015,44, 6494-6518
https://doi.org/10.1039/C5CS00274E
Pro-aromatic and anti-aromatic π-conjugated molecules: an irresistible wish to be diradicals
Pro-aromatic and anti-aromatic π-conjugated molecules are demonstrated to have an irresistible wish to be diradicals in the ground state.
Chem. Soc. Rev., 2015,44, 6578-6596
https://doi.org/10.1039/C5CS00051C
The excited state antiaromatic benzene ring: a molecular Mr Hyde?
Baird's rule tells that benzene is an antiaromatic “Mr Hyde” in its lowest excited states, explaining many photoreactions of benzene derivatives.
Chem. Soc. Rev., 2015,44, 6472-6493
https://doi.org/10.1039/C5CS00057B
Non-alternant non-benzenoid kekulenes: the birth of a new kekulene family
Theoretical and experimental aspects of kekulene and its benzenoid, non-benzenoid and non-alternant type congeners are reviewed.
Chem. Soc. Rev., 2015,44, 6560-6577
https://doi.org/10.1039/C5CS00185D
Quantifying aromaticity with electron delocalisation measures
Aromaticity descriptors based on the quantification of electron delocalization are all-round indicators that outperform most of the classical structural- and magnetic-based indices.
Chem. Soc. Rev., 2015,44, 6434-6451
https://doi.org/10.1039/C5CS00066A
Chemistry at the interior atoms of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
Reactions that form new σ-bonds to interior carbon atoms of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were unknown before the fullerene era.
Chem. Soc. Rev., 2015,44, 6464-6471
https://doi.org/10.1039/C4CS00479E
Aromaticity of metallabenzenes and related compounds
In this review, we focus on the aromaticity of a particular family of organometallic compounds known as metallabenzenes, which are characterized by the formal replacement of a CH group in benzene by an isolobal transition metal fragment.
Chem. Soc. Rev., 2015,44, 6452-6463
https://doi.org/10.1039/C5CS00004A
Kekulenes, cycloarenes, and heterocycloarenes: addressing electronic structure and aromaticity through experiments and calculations
A tutorial review describing kekulene and other cycloarenes, their synthesis, and the fundamental concepts of aromaticity they taught.
Chem. Soc. Rev., 2017,46, 7-20
https://doi.org/10.1039/C6CS00174B
π–π interactions in carbon nanostructures
A concise tutorial review on the basic concepts of π–π interactions involving fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, and graphene.
Chem. Soc. Rev., 2015,44, 6425-6433
https://doi.org/10.1039/C5CS00578G
Multifunctional π-expanded oligothiophene macrocycles
π-Expanded oligothiophene macrocycles show electronic, optical, and optoelectronic properties as well as unique supramolecular self-assembly and morphological changes.
Chem. Soc. Rev., 2015,44, 6411-6424
https://doi.org/10.1039/C5CS00388A
The dynamic, size-dependent properties of [5]–[12]cycloparaphenylenes
A collection of data and discussion on the optical, electronic, and solid-state structure of [5]–[12]cycloparaphenylene.
Chem. Soc. Rev., 2015,44, 6401-6410
https://doi.org/10.1039/C5CS00143A
About this collection
The aromaticity concept has been dramatically expanded according to the diversity of new aromatic compounds obtained by the powerful tools available in modern synthetic chemistry. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the seminal paper by Kekulé, guest editors Nazario Martin and Lawrence T. Scott present this themed issue on “Challenges in Aromaticity,” highlighting the current and most exciting questions related to aromaticity. The combination of Tutorial Reviews and Reviews Articles underscores the importance of aromaticity as a fundamental concept to stimulate the design of new and exciting compounds in the future.