Elżbieta Zielińska

A 139-π-electron nanographenoid radical was obtained by expanding the periphery of a naphthalimide–azacoronene hybrid with a methine bridge. The radical was isolated in the form of its σ-dimer, which was shown to possess a conformationally restricted two-layer structure both in the solid state and in solution. The dimer is cleaved into its parent radicals when exposed to ultraviolet or visible radiation in toluene solutions but is resistant to thermally induced dissociation. Under inert conditions, the radicals recombine quantitatively into the σ-dimer with observable kinetics, but they are oxidized into a ketone derivative in the presence of atmospheric oxygen. Combined structural, spectroscopic, and theoretical evidence shows that the σ-dimer contains a weak C(sp3)–C(sp3) bond, but is stabilized against thermal dissociation by a very strong dispersive interaction between the overlapping π surfaces.

The purpose of this study was to investigate 3,4-diarylpyrrole electropolymerization and simultaneous or subsequent intramolecular oxidative coupling leading to poly(phenanthropyrrole). Small amounts of π-conjugated products were obtained only under the conditions of increased concentration of the monomer and increased rate of potential sweep, which enabled both processes − monomer oxidation and deprotonation of the σ-dimer. The combined electrochemistry, UV-vis-NIR, ESR and TD-DFT results show, that the α,α'-coupling of 3,4-diarylpyrrole derivatives is inhibited by the stability of the σ-dimer dication, inhibition of the deprotonation and the reversal of the σ bond formation resulting in regeneration of the monomer. The addition of pyridine did not result in σ–dimer deprotonation in 2- and 2'-position.

A heteroaromatic nanographene containing a unique assembly of five-, six- and seven-membered rings is synthesized using oxidative coupling of an indole-containing precursor. Near-infrared absorption and emission properties of the nanographene core are enhanced by peripheral expansion and ring fusion at all oxidation levels. The dicationic state shows distinct aromaticity originating from a peripheral π-conjugated circuit. A partially coupled intermediate, trapped in the synthesis of the 5-6-7 nanographene, is explored as a reference system, showing an unexpected reduction of the optical band gap due to intramolecular charge transfer.

A family of azacoronenes containing up to two saturated bridges at the periphery was synthesized from substituted hexapyrrolylbenzenes using a two-step condensation–aromatization procedure. The introduction of peripheral bridges provides access to nonplanar, sterically crowded systems that display complex reactivity patterns, involving stereospecific aromatization of bridges and nucleophile additions. Despite the interrupted conjugation on the periphery, the new azacoronenes have easily accessible higher oxidation levels, and a quadruply charged species was chemically generated by reaction with SbCl₅. These oxidized species show extensive π-electron conjugation and are efficient UV/vis/NIR absorbers, active up to ca. 2400 nm. Interruption of peripheral conjugation is shown to induce a tendency toward biradicaloid electron configurations in doubly oxidized species.

An electron-rich 3,4-diarylpyrrole is shown to undergo a tandem inter- and intramolecular Scholl oxidation, providing access to bis(phenanthropyrroles), a new class of bipyrrole derivatives with extended π conjugation. Intermolecular coupling of two pyrrole molecules is found to be the initial step of this reaction. Bis(phenanthropyrroles) are characterized by restricted rotation around the α–α bond and exhibit strong blue fluorescence and large Stokes shifts.