Unsaturated Oligoquinanes and Related Systems. Carbon Rich Compounds I. Berlin: Springer Berlin Heidelberg; 1998. pp. 137-65. [DOI: 10.1007/3-540-69691-1_4]

Pentaleno[1,2-a:4,5']diacenaphthylenes: Uniquely Stabilized Pentalene Derivatives

We demonstrate the preparation of diacenaphthopentalene derivatives via a palladium-catalyzed dimerization of 1-iodo-2-arylethynyl-acenaphthylenes. The resulting 7,14-diarylpentaleno[1,2-a:4,5a']diacenaphthylenes, which contain four linearly fused five-membered rings, are benchtop stable and behave as hole-transporting or ambipolar semiconductors in organic field effect transistors. The X-ray crystal structure shows the important role of the fused naphthalene unit that enforces a formal pentalene subunit at the central five-membered rings and [5]-radialene-like structures at the proximal five-membered rings. Nucleus-independent chemical shift (NICS) calculations show the internal pentalene rings are intermediate in antiaromaticity character between known pentalene and dibenzopentalenes derivatives. The diacenaphthopentalene derivatives give high optical gap materials owing to a forbidden HOMO to LUMO transition, yet have narrow electrochemical gaps and are reduced at small negative potentials giving LUMO energy levels of -3.57 to -3.74 eV.

Efficient synthesis of aza-triquinacene derivatives via cycloaddition of 2,6-diazasemibullvalenes with nitroso compounds

The reaction between 2,6-diazasemibullvalenes and nitroso compounds was investigated. Aza-triquinacene derivatives of interesting structural and synthetic chemistry were generated highly selectively in good to excellent isolated yields. This reaction, which was rarely found between common aziridine derivatives and nitroso compounds, could be attributed to the rigid polycyclic ring system and the substitution patterns of 2,6-diazasemibullvalenes. Δ(1) -Bipyrroline derivatives were formed in excellent yields when these aza-triquinacene derivatives were treated with SmI2 .

Bromination of Unsaturated Dodecahedranes—En Route to C20 Fullerene

As part of a study to achieve selective oligo(poly)bromination-ultimately perbromination-of the dodecahedral C(20) skeleton, the extent and direction of the ionic bromination of dodecahedrene and 1,16-dodecahedradiene were explored. Along sequences of Br(+) additions/deprotonations and allylic rearrangements, up to ten hydrogen atoms were substituted (traces of C(20)H(x)Br(10)). Tetrabromododecahedrenes obtained under defined conditions in up to 50 % total yield with three and four allylic bromine substituents protecting the extremely bent C==C bonds, proved highly unreactive even towards oxygen but reacted rapidly with CH(2)N(2). Upon electron impact ionization (MS) of the newly secured oligo(poly)bromododecahedra(e)nes, sequential loss of the substituents ended generally in polyunsaturated dodecahedranes (in the extreme C(20)H(4), "tetrahydro-C(20) fullerenes"). Only subsequently did skeletal fragmentations occur. From X-ray crystal-structure analyses, more information was obtained on the structural response of the dodecahedral skeleton to the strain induced by the voluminous substituents. As Appendix, the forcing radical bromination of 1,6-dibromododecahedrane and exploratory cis-beta-HBr/cis-beta-Br(2) eliminations in bromododecahedranes with [Fe(2)(CO)(9)], P(2)F/[FeCp(2)] and [Fe(tmeda)Cp*Cl] (in situ protection) are presented.

The Azaacepentalenide Anion: A New Aromatic, Bowl-Shaped Heterocycle

The bowl-shaped aromatic azaacepentalenide anion and its perchloro analogue were derived from 10-azatriquinacene and 2,3,5,6,8,9-hexachloro-10-azatriquinacene via the N-oxides. Spectroscopic and computational studies, as well as chemical derivitization experiments, were used to confirm the structural assignments.