Synthesis of a giant 222 carbon graphite sheet

Chemistry. 2002 Mar 15;8(6):1424-9. doi: 10.1002/1521-3765(20020315)8:6<1424::aid-chem1424>3.0.co;2-z.

Abstract

In this paper we present the synthesis and characterization of the so far largest polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), containing 222 carbon atoms or 37 separate benzene units. First a suitable three-dimensional oligophenylene precursor molecule is built up by a sequence of Diels-Alder and cyclotrimerization reactions and then planarized in the final step by oxidative cyclodehydrogenation to the corresponding hexagonal PAH. Structural proof is based on isotopically resolved MALDI-TOF mass spectra and electronic characteristics are studied by UV/Vis spectroscopy.