Homo and Hetero Molecular 3D Nanographenes Employing a Cyclooctatetraene Scaffold

J Am Chem Soc. 2020 Mar 4;142(9):4162-4172. doi: 10.1021/jacs.9b10203. Epub 2020 Feb 21.

Abstract

Two novel homo and hetero three-dimensional nanographenes, NG1 and NG2, featuring a cyclooctatetraene core are designed, synthesized, and characterized. A concise and efficient bottom-up methodology was employed during which 24 new carbon-carbon bonds were formed. By means of a Scholl reaction nanographenes with 53 fused rings are realized, which exhibited good solubility in common organic solvents. The resulting saddle-like structures of NG1 and NG2 are electron-rich and show good chemical and electrochemical stability. Their molecular structures are fully elucidated by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. From their crystal structure analysis is concluded that both nanographenes are chiral and crystallize as a racemic mixture. Our work was rounded-off by excited state investigations such as electron and energy transfer with electron-acceptors and -donors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't