Functionalization of Quinoxalines by Using TMP Bases: Preparation of Tetracyclic Heterocycles with High Photoluminescene Quantum Yields

Backbone-Modified C2-Symmetrical Chiral Bisphosphine TMS-QuinoxP*: Asymmetric Borylation of Racemic Allyl Electrophiles

A new C₂-symmetrical P-chirogenic bisphosphine ligand with silyl substituents on the ligand backbone, (R,R)-5,8-TMS-QuinoxP*, has been developed. This ligand showed higher reactivity and enantioselectivity for the direct enantioconvergent borylation of cyclic allyl electrophiles than its parent ligand, (R,R)-QuinoxP* (e.g., for a piperidine-type substrate: 95% ee vs 76% ee). The borylative kinetic resolution of linear allyl electrophiles was also achieved using (R,R)-5,8-TMS-QuinoxP* (up to 90% ee, s = 46.4). An investigation into the role of the silyl groups on the ligand backbone using X-ray crystallography and computational studies displayed interlocking structures between the phosphine and silyl moieties of (R,R)-5,8-TMS-QuinoxP*. The results of DFT calculations revealed that the entropy effect thermodynamically destabilizes the dormant dimer species in the catalytic cycle to improve the reactivity. Furthermore, in the direct enantioconvergent case, detailed calculations indicated a pronounced enantioselective recognition of carbon-carbon double bonds, which is virtually unaffected by the chirality at the allylic position, as a key for the borylation from both enantiomers of racemic allyl electrophiles.

Cobalt-Catalyzed Electrophilic Aminations with Anthranils: An Expedient Route to Condensed Quinolines

The reaction of various organozinc pivalates with anthranils provides anilines derivatives, which cyclize under acidic conditions providing condensed quinolines. Using alkenylzinc pivalates, electron-rich arylzinc pivalates or heterocyclic zinc pivalates produces directly the condensed quinolines of which several structures belong to new heterocyclic scaffolds. These N-heterocycles are of particular interest for organic light emitting diodes with their high photoluminescence quantum yields and long exciton lifetimes as well as for hole-transporting materials in methylammonium lead iodide perovskites solar cells due to an optimal band alignment for holes and a large bandgap.

1,10-Phenanthroline-dithiine iridium and ruthenium complexes: synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic dihydrogen evolution

Extending 1,10-phenanthroline with a dithiine link led to a remarkable increase of the luminescence lifetimes of the respective Ir(ppy)₂ and Ru(bpy)₂ complexes.

C-H Functionalization of Azines

Azines, which are six-membered aromatic compounds containing one or more nitrogen atoms, serve as ubiquitous structural cores of aromatic species with important applications in biological and materials sciences. Among a variety of synthetic approaches toward azines, C-H functionalization represents the most rapid and atom-economical transformation, and it is advantageous for the late-stage functionalization of azine-containing functional molecules. Since azines have several C-H bonds with different reactivities, the development of new reactions that allow for the functionalization of azines in a regioselective fashion has comprised a central issue. This review describes recent advances in the C-H functionalization of azines categorized as follows: (1) S_NAr reactions, (2) radical reactions, (3) deprotonation/functionalization, and (4) metal-catalyzed reactions.

Synchronized Offset Stacking: A Concept for Growing Large-Domain and Highly Crystalline 2D Covalent Organic Frameworks

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), formed by reversible condensation of rigid organic building blocks, are crystalline and porous materials of great potential for catalysis and organic electronics. Particularly with a view of organic electronics, achieving a maximum degree of crystallinity and large domain sizes while allowing for a tightly π-stacked topology would be highly desirable. We present a design concept that uses the 3D geometry of the building blocks to generate a lattice of uniquely defined docking sites for the attachment of consecutive layers, thus allowing us to achieve a greatly improved degree of order within a given average number of attachment and detachment cycles during COF growth. Synchronization of the molecular geometry across several hundred nanometers promotes the growth of highly crystalline frameworks with unprecedented domain sizes. Spectroscopic data indicate considerable delocalization of excitations along the π-stacked columns and the feasibility of donor–acceptor excitations across the imine bonds. The frameworks developed in this study can serve as a blueprint for the design of a broad range of tailor-made 2D COFs with extended π-conjugated building blocks for applications in photocatalysis and optoelectronics.

Synthesis and Reactivity of Triazaphenanthrenes

Pyridonaphthyridines (triazaphenanthrenes) were prepared in 4 steps and in 13-52% overall yield using Negishi cross-couplings between iodopicolines and 2-chloro-pyridylzinc derivatives. After chlorination, Gabriel amination and spontaneous ring-closure, the final aromatization leading to the triazaphenanthrenes was achieved with chloranil. This heterocyclic scaffold underwent a nucleophilic addition at position 6 leading to further functionalized pyridonaphthyridines. The influence of these chemical modifications on the optical properties was studied by steady-state and time-resolved optical spectroscopy. While the thiophene-substituted heterocycles exhibited the most extended absorption, the phenyl- and furan-substituted compounds showed a stronger photoluminescence, reaching above 20% quantum yield and lifetimes of several nanoseconds.

Selective Functionalization of Tetrathiafulvalene Using Mg- and Zn-TMP-Bases: Preparation of Mono-, Di-, Tri-, and Tetrasubstituted Derivatives

The tetrathiafulvalene-scaffold (TTF) reacts selectively in allylation, acylation, arylation, halogenation, and thiolation reactions via magnesium or zinc derivatives that are obtained by a direct metalation with Mg- and Zn-TMP-bases (TMP = 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidyl). This stepwise functionalization provides access to a range of new mono-, di-, tri-, and tetra-functionalized TTF-derivatives and allows for fine-tuning of their energy levels.