Redox-active proligands from the direct connection of 1,3-dithiol-2-one to tetrathiafulvalene (TTF): syntheses, characterizations and metal complexation

Abstract

In the search for novel tetrathiafulvalene-substituted dithiolene ligands, two tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) molecules directly connected to 1,3-dithiol-2-one fragments have been synthesized and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, electrochemical and spectroscopic analyses. TTF1 was obtained, in moderate yield, by the cross-coupling of 4,5-bis(methylthio)-1,3-dithiole-2-one with 4,4′-bis(1,3-dithiole-2-one) in triethylphosphite, whereas for TTF2, the 1,3-dithiol-2-one fragment was introduced, in high yield, by an original reaction of the alkyne group of an ethynyl TTF (Me₃TTF–CCH) with xanthogen in the presence of a radical initiator. Opening of the 1,3-dithiol-2-one fragments with sodium methanolate leads to the formation of two new 1,2-dithiolate ligands functionalized with redox-active TTF moieties, which can efficiently coordinate metals. As an illustration, two original heteroleptic bis(cyclopentadienyl)dithiolene titanium complexes were isolated and characterized.