The domino hexadehydro-Diels-Alder reaction transforms polyynes to benzynes to naphthynes to anthracynes to tetracynes (and beyond?).

ABSTRACT: Polyacenes are organic compounds that have multiple, fused, aromatic rings. These highly conjugated molecules often have interesting photonic and/or electronic properties that afford them the potential for application in a host of organoelectronic devices such as sensors, light-emitting diodes, photovoltaic devices and field-effect transistors. Here, we show the development and use of the domino hexadehydro-Diels-Alder reaction to synthesize structurally diverse polyacenes from acyclic polyyne precursors. The key event in these transformations is the successive reaction of multiple 1,3-butadiyne units with a series of in-situ-generated, diynophilic arynes. The polyyne substrates were designed to allow for rapid engagement of each progressively larger aryne following the initiating (and ratelimiting) production of the first reactive intermediate-the benzyne. We show that aryne-trapping reactions are broad in scope and that these cascade or domino processes can be quite efficient.

SUBMITTER: Xiao X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6284823 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature