Modular Synthesis of Structurally Diverse Azulene-Embedded Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons by Knoevenagel-Type Condensation

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

The research interest in azulene-embedded polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has significantly increased recently, but the lack of efficient synthetic strategies impedes the investigation of their structure-property relationships and further opto-electronic applications. Here we report a modular synthetic strategy towards diverse azulene-embedded PAHs by a tandem Suzuki coupling and base-promoted Knoevenagel-type condensation with good yields and great structural versatility, including non-alternant thiophene-rich PAHs, butterfly- or Z-shaped PAHs bearing two azulene units, and the first example of a two-azulene-embedded double [5]helicene. The structural topology, aromaticity and photophysical properties were investigated by NMR, X-ray crystallography analysis and UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy assisted by DFT calculations. This strategy provides a new platform for rapidly synthesizing unexplored non-alternant PAHs or even graphene nanoribbons with multiple azulene units.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere202219091
Number of pages8
JournalAngewandte Chemie - International Edition
Volume62
Issue number21
Publication statusPublished - 17 Apr 2023
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

WOS 000973473500001

Keywords

Research priority areas of TU Dresden

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • Aromaticity, Azulene, Helicenes, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Structure Elucidation