Reversible structural rearrangement of π-expanded cyclooctatetraene upon two-fold reduction with alkali metals

Abstract

The chemical reduction of a π-expanded COT derivative, octaphenyltetrabenzocyclooctatetraene (1), with lithium or sodium metals in the presence of secondary ligands affords a new doubly-reduced product (1_TR²⁻). The X-ray diffraction study revealed a reductive core rearrangement accompanied by the formation of a single C–C bond and severe twist of the central tetraphenylene core. The reversibility of two-electron reduction and core transformation is further confirmed by NMR spectroscopy and DFT calculations.