Issue 6, 2023

Functionalisation of conjugated macrocycles with type I and II concealed antiaromaticity via cross-coupling reactions

Abstract

Conjugated macrocycles can exhibit concealed antiaromaticity; that is, despite not being antiaromatic, under specific circumstances, they can display properties typically observed in antiaromatic molecules due to their formal macrocyclic 4n π-electron system. Paracyclophanetetraene (PCT) and its derivatives are prime examples of macrocycles exhibiting this behaviour. In redox reactions and upon photoexcitation, they have been shown to behave like antiaromatic molecules (requiring type I and II concealed antiaromaticity, respectively), with such phenomena showing potential for use in battery electrode materials and other electronic applications. However, further exploration of PCTs has been hindered by the lack of halogenated molecular building blocks that would permit their integration into larger conjugated molecules by cross-coupling reactions. Here, we present two dibrominated PCTs, obtained as a mixture of regioisomers from a three-step synthesis, and demonstrate their functionalisation via Suzuki cross-coupling reactions. Optical, electrochemical, and theoretical studies reveal that aryl substituents can subtly tune the properties and behaviour of PCT, showing that this is a viable strategy in further exploring this promising class of materials.

Graphical abstract: Functionalisation of conjugated macrocycles with type I and II concealed antiaromaticity via cross-coupling reactions

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
22 mrt 2023
Accepted
03 mei 2023
First published
10 mei 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Mol. Syst. Des. Eng., 2023,8, 713-720

Functionalisation of conjugated macrocycles with type I and II concealed antiaromaticity via cross-coupling reactions

T. L. R. Bennett, A. V. Marsh, J. M. Turner, F. Plasser, M. Heeney and F. Glöcklhofer, Mol. Syst. Des. Eng., 2023, 8, 713 DOI: 10.1039/D3ME00045A

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