ALBERT

Notes: Derivatives of fully cross-conjugated tetraethynylethene (3,4-diethynylhex-3-ene-1,5-diyne) 1 are versatile precursors to multinanometer-sized molecular rods with all-C-backbones. Oxidative polymerization (CuCl, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenthylenediamine (TMEDA), O2) of the trans-bis-deprotected trans-bis(triisopropylsilyl)-protected tetraethynylethene 2 yielded, after end-capping with phenylacetylene, the remarkably stable, soluble oligomers 3-7 with a persilylethynylated poly(triacetylene) (PTA) backbone [—(C≡C—CR=CR—C≡C)n—] and a length of 19.4 (3), 26.8 (4), 34.3 (5), 41.8 (6), and 49.2 (7) Å (Scheme 1). These compounds underwent facile one-electron reductions with the number of reversible reduction steps being equal to the number of tetraethynylethene moieties in each molecular rod. Oxidative Eglinton-Glaser homo-coupling of tetraethynylethenes 8-10 with a single free ethynyl group provided the fully silyl-protected 3,4,9,10-tetraethynyl-substituted dodeca-3,9-diene-1,5,7,11-tetraynes 11-13 (Scheme 2) and, after alkyne deprotection, the novel hydrocarbon 14, a C20H6 isomer, and its partially silyl-protected derivative 15. Oxidative hetero-coupling between two different tetraethynylethene derivatives, one with a single and the other with two free terminal ethynyl groups, yielded the extended chromophores 16-21 composed of 3 or 4 tetraethynylethene moieties (Scheme 3). The linearly conjugated oligomers 16 and 17 with the PTA backbone are isomeric to 19 and 20, respectively, which are members of the cross-conjugated expanded dendralenes, i.e., dendralenes with butadiynediyl fragments inserted between each pair of double bonds [—(C≡C—C(=CR2)—C≡C)n—]. The electronic absorption spectra of these compounds were compared and analyzed in terms of the competition between linear and cross-conjugation in determining the extent of π-electron delocalization. Although steric factors on π-electron conjugation remain to be clarified, this analysis strongly suggests that cross-conjugation is not an efficient mechanism for π-electron delocalization. All extended acetylenic-olefinic chromophores considered in this study exhibited remarkably high stability and did not decompose when exposed to laboratory air and light for months. In agreement with this observation, electrochemical studies demonstrated that the compounds are difficult to oxidize with the oxidation potentials in THF (0.1M(Bu4N)PF6) being higher than 1.0 V (vs. the ferrocene/ferrocenium couple).

Notes: The regioselectivity of multiple cyclopropanations of C70 with 2-bromopropanedioates in the presence of 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) as base (Bingel reaction) was investigated in a systematic study. Bisadduct formation occurred preferentially at the 6—6 bonds formed by the most pyramidalized sp2-C-atoms at the two opposite poles of the fullerene and, in the reaction with achiral bis[(ethoxycarbonyl)methyl]2-bromopropanedioate (13a), yielded three constitutionally isomeric bis(methano)fullerenes (Scheme 2). Two of them, C2-symmetrical (±)-1 and (±)-2, are chiral; a fact which had not been considered in previous investigations. Formation of the third, C2v-symmetrical isomer 3 was observed for the first time. Configurational descriptions for fullerene derivatives which possess a chiral chromophore as a result of specific functionalization patterns are proposed. Cyclopropanations of C70 with optically active bis[(S)-1-phenylbutyl] 2-bromopropanedioate (13b) yielded five optically active, C2-symmetrical bis-adducts 7-11 which could be separated by preparative HPLC and fully characterized (Scheme 3, Fig.4). Compounds 7/8 and 9/10 represent two constitutionally isomeric pairs of diastereoisomers, and their circular dichroism (CD) spectra show pronounced Cotton effects mainly due to strong chiroptical contributions from the chirally functionalized fullerene chromophores (Fig.7). Since the addition patterns on the fullerene surface in each pair of diastereoisomers have an enantiomeric relationship, their CD spectra closely resemble those expected for two enantiomers. In the third constitutional isomer 11, the addition pattern on the fullerene surface is C2v-symmetrical, and optical activity only results from the chiral addends. Its CD spectrum shows weak Cotton effects mainly from induced circular dichroism originating from the perturbation of the achiral fullerene chromophore by the attached chiral addends. Addition of diethyl 2-bromopropanedioate (2 equiv.) to the C2-symmetrical racemic bis-adduct (±)-2 yielded a mixture of tris-adducts and one major, C2-symmetrical tetrakis-adduct (±)-4 which was isolated in pure form (Scheme 4). Starting from the achiral C2v-symmetrical bis-adduct 3, one single Cs-symmetrical tris-(5) and one C2v-symmetrical tetrakis-adduct (6) were obtained as major products which were isolated and fully characterized (Scheme 5). The regioselectivity for introduction of a second addend in the same hemisphere of C70 is high and resembles the preferred pattern of bis-addition seen in the functionalization of C60.

Notes: On the way to the fullerene-acetylene hybrid carbon allotropes 2 and 6, the oxidative homocoupling of the 2-functionalized 1-ethynylated C60 derivatives 11, 12, 14, and 15 was investigated. Under Glaser-Hay conditions, the two soluble dumbbell-shaped bisfullerenes 17 and 18, with two C60 moieties linked by a buta-1,3-diynediyl bridge, were formed in 52 and 82% yield, respectively (Scheme 2). Cyclic-voltammetric measurements revealed that there is no significant electronic communication between the two fullerene spheres via the buta-1,3-diynediyl linker. Removal of the 3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl (Thp) protecting groups in 18 gave in 80% yield the highly insoluble dumbbell 19 with methanol groups in the 2,2′-positions of the buta-1,3-diynediyl-bridged carbon spheres. Attempted conversion of 19 to the all-carbon dianion 6 (C1242-) via base-induced elimination of formaldehyde was not successful presumably due to exo-dig cyclization of the formed alkoxides. The occurrence of this cyclization under furan formation was proven for 2-[4-(trimethylsilyl)buta-1,3-diyn-1-yl][60]fullerene-1-methanol (21), a soluble model compound for 19 (Scheme 3). To compare the properties of ethynylated fullerene mono-adducts to those of corresponding higher adducts, hexakis-adducts 26 and 28 with an octahedral functionalization pattern resulting from all-e (equatorial) additions were prepared by the reversible-template method of Hirsch (Scheme 4). Reaction of the ethynylated mono-adducts 25 or 13 with diethyl 2-bromomalonate/1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) in the presence of 1,9-dimethylanthracene (DMA) as reversible template led to 26 and 28 in 28 and 22% yield, respectively. Preliminary experiments indicated a significant change in reactivity and NMR spectral properties of the fullerene addends with increasing degree of functionalization.

Notes: The synthesis of functionalized 1,1,2,2-tetraethynylethanes (= 3,4-diethynylhexa-1,5-diynes) as synthons for tetraethynylethenes (3,4-diethynylhex-3-ene-1,5-diynes) and as building blocks for three-dimensional acetylenic molecular scaffolding targeting the synthesis of the molecular carbon belts 3 and 4 is reported (Scheme 1). Reaction of diethyl oxalate and (trialkylsilyl)ethynyl Grignard reagents afforded the silyl-protected 3,4-diethynylhexa-1,5-diyne-3,4- diols 7 and 8 which were transformed in high yields into the cyclic carbonate 9 and the cyclic orthoesters 10-13, respectively (Scheme 2). The solid-state structures of 9 and 10 were elucidated by X-ray crystallography. The alkyne protecting groups in 9, 10, and 12 were smoothly removed to give the free tetraynes 14-16 as relatively stable oils in nearly quantitative yields (Scheme 3). Orthoesters 15 and 16 underwent Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling with iodobenzene to give the tetraphenyl derivatives 17 and 18 (Scheme 4). Thermal acid-catalyzed elimination of the orthoester moieties in 12 and 13 produced the silyl-protected tetraethynylethenes 19 and 20 and concluded a novel, simple three-step synthesis of these fully two-dimensionally conjugated π-chromophores (Scheme 5).

Notes: A comprehensive series of tetraethynylethenes (= 3,4-diethynylhex-3-ene-1,5-diynes, TEEs) bearing electrondonating (p-methoxyphenyl or p-aminophenyl) and/or electron-accepting (p-nitrophenyl) groups was prepared via [Pd]-catalyzed Sonogashira cross-coupling reactions. The electronic and photonic properties of these molecules were investigated with a special emphasis on the effects caused by degree and pattern of donor/acceptor substitution around the central TEE core. This analysis showed that intramolecular donor-acceptor interactions, as evidenced by a long-wavelength charge-transfer band, are considerably more effective in TEEs 44 and 46, with trans and cis, linearly-conjugated electronic pathways between donor and acceptor, than in 11, with a geminal, cross-conjugated electronic pathway. UV/VIS Spectroscopy revealed a steady bathochromic shift of the longest-wavelength absorption band (λmax) as the number of donor-acceptor conjugation paths increased upon changing from bis-arylated (11, 44, and 46) to tetrakis-arylated (14, 31, and 35) TEEs. The position of the longest-wavelength absorption was also found to be strongly dependent on the nature of the N-substituents in the R2NC6H4-donor groups. Electronic emission spectroscopic investigations demonstrated a considerable solvent dependency of the fluorescence of donor-acceptor-substituted TEEs such as 11 or 44, in agreement with the presence of highly polarized excited states in these molecules. Correspondingly, fluorescence spectra of TEEs bearing only donor or acceptor substituents showed little solvent dependency. The large majority of the donor/acceptor-substituted TEEs are thermally and environmentally stable molecules. They can be stored for months as solids in the air at room temperature, and many decompose only upon heating to temperatures above 200°. X-Ray analysis showed the conjugated C-atom scaffolds of 44, 46, and 67 to be essentially planar, whereas the aryl substituents in 28 and 30 are rotated out of the plane of the TEE core by varying degrees.

Notes: The synthesis of (E)-hex-3-ene-l, 5-diynes and 3-methylidenepenta-1, 4-diynes with pendant methano[60]-fullerene moieties as precursors to C60-substituted poly(triacetylenes) (PTAs, Fig. 1) and expanded radialenes (Fig. 2) is described. The Bingel reaction of diethyl (E)-2, 3-dialkynylbut-2-ene-1, 4-diyl bis(2-bromopropane-dioates) 5 and 6 with two C60 molecules (Scheme 2) afforded the monomeric, silyl-protected PTA precursors 9 and 10 which, however, could not be effectively desilylated (Scheme 4). Also formed during the synthesis of 9 and 10, as well as during the reaction of C60 with thedesilylated analogue 16 (Scheme 5), were the macrocyclic products 11, 12, and 17, respectively, resulting from double Bingel addition to one C-sphere. Rigorous analysis revealed that this novel macrocyclization reaction proceeds with complete regio- and diastereoselectivity. The second approach to a suitable PTA monomer attempted N, N′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide(DCC)-mediated esterification of (E)-2, 3-diethynylbut-2-ene-l, 4-diol (18, Scheme 6) with mono-esterified methanofullerene-dicarboxylic acid 23; however, this synthesis yielded only the corresponding decarboxylated methanofullerene-carboxylic ester 27 (Scheme 7). To prevent decarboxylation, a spacer was inserted between the reacting carboxylic-acid moiety and the methane C-atom in carboxymethyl ethyl 1, 2-methano[60]fullerene-61, 61-dicarboxylate (28, Scheme 8), and DCC-mediated esterification with diol 18 afforded PTA monomer 32 in good yield. The formation of a suitable monomeric precursor 38 to C60-substituted expanded radialenes was achieved in 5 steps starting from dihydroxyacetone (Schemes 9 and 10), with the final step consisting of the DCC-mediated esterification of 28 with 2-[1-ethynyl(prop-2-ynylidene)]propane-1, 3-diol (33). The first mixed C60-C70 fullerene derivative 49, consisting of two methano[60]fullerenes attached to a methano[70]fullerene, was also prepared and fully characterized (Scheme 13). The Cs-symmetrical hybrid compound was obtained by DCC-mediated esterification of bis[2-(2-hydroxy-ethoxy)ethyl] 1, 2-methano[70]fullerene-71, 71-dicarboxylate (46) with an excess of the C60-carboxylic acid 28. The presence of two different fullerenes in the same molecule was reflected by its UV/VIS spectrum, which displayed the characteristic absorption bands of both the C70 and C60 mono-adducts, but at the same time indicated no electronic interaction between the different fullerene moieties. Cyclic voltammetry showed two reversible reduction steps for 49, and comparison with the corresponding C70 and C60 mono-adducts 46 and 30 indicated that the three fullerenes in the composite fullerene compound behave as independent redox centers.

Notes: By the tether-directed remote functionalization method, a series of bis- to hexakis-adducts of C60, i.e., 1-7 (Fig. 1), had previously been prepared with high regioselectivity. An efficient method for the removal of the tether-reactive-group conjugate was now developed and its utility demonstrated in the regioselective synthesis of bis- to tetrakis(methano)fullerenes ( = di- to tetracyclopropafullerenes-C60-Ih) 9-11 starting from 4, 5, and 7, respectively (Schemes 2, 4, and 5). This versatile protocol consists of a 1O2 ene reaction with the two cyclohexene rings in the starting materials, reduction of the formed mixture of isomeric allylic hydroperoxides to the corresponding alcohols, acid-promoted elimination of H2O to cyclohexa-1,3-dienes, Diels-Alder addition of dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate, retro-Diels-Alder addition, and, ultimately, transesterification. In the series 9-11, all methano moieties are attached along an equatorial belt of the fullerene. Starting from C2v-symmetrical tetrakis-adduct 15, transesterification with dodecan-1-ol or octan-1-ol yielded the octaesters 16 and 17, respectively, as noncrystalline fullerene derivatives (Scheme 3). The X-ray crystal structure of a CHCl3 solvate of 11 (Fig. 3) showed that the residual conjugated π-chromophore of the C-sphere is reduced to two tetrabenzopyracylene substructures connected by four biphenyl-type bonds (Fig. 5). In the eight six-membered rings surrounding the two pyracylene (= cyclopent[fg]acenaphthylene) moieties, 6-6 and 6-5 bond-length alteration (0.05 Å) was reduced by ca. 0.01 Å as compared to the free C60 skeleton (0.06 Å) (Fig. 4). The crystal packing (Fig. 6) revealed short contacts between Cl-atoms of the solvent molecule and sp2- and sp3-C-atoms of the C-sphere, as well as short contacts between Cl-atoms and O-atoms of the EtOOC groups attached to the methano moieties of 11. The physical properties and chemical reactivity of compounds 1-11 were comprehensively investigated as a function of degree and pattern of addition and the nature of the addends. Methods applied to this study were UV/VIS (Figs. 7-11), IR, and NMR spectroscopy (Table 2), cyclic (CV) and steady-state (SSV) voltammetry (Table 1), calculations of the energies of the lowest uunoccupied mmolecular orbitals (LUMOs) and electron affinities (Figs. 12 and 13), and evaluation of chemical reactivity in competition experiments. It was found that the properties of the fullerene derivatives were not only affected by the degree and pattern of addition but also, in a remarkable way, by the nature of the addends (methano vs. but-2-ene-1, 4-diyl) anellated to the C-sphere. Attachment of multiple thano moieties along an equatorial belt as in the series 8-11 induces only a small perturbation of the original fullerene π-chromophore. In general, with increasing attenuation of the conjugated fullerene π-chromophore, the optical (HOMO-LUMO) gap in the UV/VIS spectrum is shifted to higher energy, the number of reversible one-electron reductions decreases, and the first reduction potential becomes increasingly negative, the computed LUMO energy increases and the electron affinity decreases, and the reactivity of the fullerene towards nucleophiles and carbenes and as dienophile in cycloadditions decreases.

Notes: Cyclophanes 3 and 4 were prepared as initiator cores for the construction of dendrophanes (dendritic cydophanes) 1 and 2, respectively, which mimic recognition sites buried in globular proteins. The tetra-oxy[6.1.6.1]paracyclophane 3 was prepared by a short three-step route (Scheme 1) and possesses a cavity binding site shaped by two diphenylmethane units suitable for the inclusion of flat aromatic substrates such as benzene and naphthalene derivatives as was shown by 1H-NMR binding titrations in basic D2O phosphate buffer (Table 1). The larger cyclophane 4, shaped by two wider naphthyl(phenyl)methane spacers, was prepared in a longer, ten-step synthesis (Scheme 2) which included as a key intermediate the tetrabromocyclophane 5. 1H-NMR Binding studies in basic borate buffer in D2O/CD3OD demonstrated that 4 is an efficient steroid receptor. In a series of steroids (Table 1), complexation strength decreased with increasing substrate polarity and increasing number of polar substituents; in addition, electrostatic repulsion between carboxylate residues of host and guest also affected the binding affinity strongly. The conformationally flexible tetrabromocyclophane 5 displayed a pronounced tendency to form solid-state inclusion compounds of defined stoichiometry, which were analyzed by X-ray crystallography (Fig. 2). 1,2-Dichloroethane formed a cavity inclusion complex 5a with 1:1 stoichiometry, while in the 1:3 inclusion compound 5b with benzene, one guest is fully buried in the macrocyclic cavity and two others are positioned in channels between the Cyclophanes in the crystal lattice. In the 1:2 inclusion compound 5c, two toluene molecules penetrate with their aromatic rings the macrocyclic cavity from opposite sides in an antiparallel fashion. On the other hand, p-xylene (= 1,4-dimethylbenzene) in the 1:1 compound 5d is sandwiched between the cyclophane molecules with its two Me groups penetrating the cavities of the two macrocycles. In the 1:2 inclusion compound 5e with tetralin (= 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene), both host and guest are statically disordered. The shape of the macrocycle in 5a-e depends strongly on the nature of the guest (Fig. 4). Characteristic for these compounds is the pronounced tendency of 5 to undergo regular stacking and to form channels for guest inclusion; these channels can infinitely extend across the macrocyclic cavities (Fig. 6) or in the crystal lattice between neighboring cyclophane stacks (Fig. 5). Also, the crystal lattice of 5c displays a remarkable zig-zag pattern of short Br…O contacts between neighboring macrocycles (Fig. 7).

Notes: The Cinchona alkaloid analogs (+)- and (-)-5 with a quinuclidine-2-methanol residue attached to C(2) of a 9,9′-spirobifluorene moiety were prepared as a racemic mixture by reacting lithiated 2-bromo-9,9′-spirobifluorene 7 with (2-ethoxycarbonyl)quinuclidine (±)-6 to give ketone (±)-8, followed by diastereoselective reduction with diisobutylaluminum hydride (DIBAL-H). The absolute configuration at C(9) and C(8), i.e., at the methanol bridge and the adjacent quinuclidine C-atom, in the two enantiomers of 5 is identical to the configuration at the corresponding centers in (-)-quinine (1) and (+)-quinidine (2), respectively. For the optical resolution of (±)-5, a chiral stationary phase for HPLC was prepared by covalently bonding quinine via a thiol spacer to a silica-gel surface. The enantiomer separation was accomplished at an α value of 1.61 with (±)-5 being eluted last, in agreement with 1H-NMR studies in CDCl3 which showed that (+)-5 underwent a more stable host-guest association with quinine than (-)-5. 1H{1H} Nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) difference spectroscopical analysis of the host-guest associations with quinine in CDCl3, combined with computer-model examinations, allowed the assignment of the absolute configurations as (+)-(8R,9S)-5 and (-)-(8S,9R)-5. A detailed conformational analysis displayed excellent agreement between the results of computational methods (Monte Carlo multiple minimum simulations, analyses of the total energy as a function of the flexible dihedral angles in the molecule) and 1H{1H}-NOE difference spectroscopical data. It was found that (-)-5 and (+)-5 differ significantly in their conformational preference from their natural counterparts quinine (1) and quinidine (2). Whereas the natural alkaloids prefer the ‘open’ conformation, with the quinuclidine N-atom pointing away from the quinoline ring, analog (±)-5 adopts preferentially (by ca. 4 kcal mol-1) a ‘closed’ conformation, in which the quinuclidine N-atom points into the cleft of the 9,9′-spirobifluorene moiety. Since the basic quinuclidine N-atom in the ‘closed’ conformation is sterically shielded from forming strong H-bonds, the new Cinchona alkaloid analogs form less stable host-guest associations via H-bonding than quinine or quinidine.

Notes: Flavo-thiazolio-cyclophane 6 was prepared on a gram scale by an 18-step synthesis (Schemes 3 and 4). This pathway involved the very efficient preparation of bromo-cyclophane 32 (37% yield over 13-steps), which can be readily modified to create various multiply functionalized receptors. This bromide 32 was subsequently converted into the corresponding boronic acid and connected to the 7-bromoflavin 10 (Scheme 2) via Suzuki coupling to give flavo-cyclophane 36. The thiazolium unit was then introduced after quaternization of the tertiary amino groups of 36. Flavo-thiazolio-cyclophane 6, with both prosthetic groups attached in proximity to the well-defined cyclophane binding site, is a functional model for the enzyme pyruvate oxidase. In basic methanolic solution, 6 catalyzes the oxidation of aromatic aldehydes to their corresponding methyl esters. Cyclophane 6 shows saturation kinetics, and the turnover number calculated for the oxidation of naphthalene-2-carbaldehyde to methyl naphthalene-2-carboxylate (kcat = 0.22 s-1) is one of the highest reported for an artificial enzyme. Control experiments showed that the catalytic advantages of 6 result from the macrocyclic binding and reaction site as well as from the covalent attachment of both cofactors to this site. The catalytic cycle is completed by electrochemical re-oxidation of the reduced flavin moiety at a low working electrode potential (- 0.3 V vs. Ag/AgCl), and up to ca. 100 catalytic cycles can be performed on a preparative scale, The intramolecular nature of the electron transfer from the active aldehyde intermediate to the flavin is particularly conducive to the oxidation of unreactive aldehydes.