MIT

Fused Polycyclic Aromatics via Electrophile-Induced Cyclization Reactions: Application to the Synthesis of Graphite Ribbons.

Title

Fused Polycyclic Aromatics via Electrophile-Induced Cyclization Reactions: Application to the Synthesis of Graphite Ribbons.

Publication Type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
1994
Journal
Journal of the American Chemical Society
Volume
116
Pagination
7895–7896
ISSN
0002-7863
Abstract
The development of a novel reaction for the synthesis of fused polycyclic benzenoid arom. hydrocarbons is reported. In the reaction’s simplest form, the attack of an electrophile on a substituted 2-(ethynyl)biphenyl would provide a substituted phenanthrene. To demonstrate the utility of the reaction the authors have synthesized in all carbon conjugated ladder polymer or graphite ribbon. En route to this target, model systems of the general structure 2′,5′-di(4-alkoxyphenylethynyl)-p-terphenyl were synthesized for characterization and optimization purposes. Cyclization to give substituted dibenz[a,h]anthracenes consistently proceeded in very high to quant. yield. The graphite ribbon polymer, a yellow-orange material, was synthesized by TFA treatment of the colorless poly[2,5-di(dodecyl)-2′,5′-di(4-(dodecyloxy)phenylethynyl)-p-biphenylene]. All compds. were characterized using 1H and 13C NMR, IR, UV-VIS and luminescence spectroscopy, high resoln. mass spectrometry, and elemental anal. [on SciFinder(R)]