Variations of bistricyclic aromatic enes: mono-bridged tetraarylethene naphthologs

Abstract

The syntheses, molecular and crystal structures, NMR spectroscopic study, and DFT computational study of naphthologs of mono-bridged (X = –, O, S, Se, and Te) tetraarylethene (BAE-1s) 11–25 with α,α-, β,β-, and α,β-dinaphthalenyl substituents have been reported. The BAE-1s have been prepared by Barton–Kellog twofold extrusion from the respective chalcogenothiones and diazomethylenebisnaphthylenes. Complete assignments of 1H- and 13C-NMR spectra of 11–25 have been made through 2-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (DQF-COSY, HSQC, HMBC, and NOESY). The corresponding intermediates, thiiranes 33–47, have been also isolated (except 38), and their molecular and crystal structures have been determined. The molecular structures of BAE-1s 12–15, 20, and 22–25 adopted folded-twisted conformations with considerably folded (φ = 30°–57°) tricyclic moieties. The α,α- and α,β-dinaphthalenyl derivatives are more overcrowded than β,β-dinaphthalenyl derivatives. The relief of the steric strain due to the overcrowding around C9 = C9′ caused by the presence of naphthalenyl substituents was achieved by their twisting around the single bonds that connect the α-naphthalenyl and β-naphthalenyl moieties to C9′. The 1H-NMR spectra have shown shielding of H2, H7 of 11–25 and the pronounced deshielding of H8′, H8″ of α,α-dinaphthalenyl-substituted BAE-1s 13–15 in contrast to β,β-dinaphthalenyl-substituted BAE-1s 16–20. The upfield shifts of H2, H7 suggested conformations in which these hydrogens are located above the planes of the opposing naphthalene rings. DFT calculations of 11–20 have been performed at B3LYP/6-31G(d) and B3LYP/SDD. The results have shown that the global minima of BAE-1s without a chalcogen bridge 11 and 16 are twisted (–sc,–sc)-C 2-t conformations. The global minima of BAE-1s with a chalcogen bridge are folded-twisted (–sc,–ac)-C 1-ft conformations for α,α-dinaphthalenyl-substituted BAE-1s 12–15 and either anti- or syn-(–sc,ac)-C 1-ft conformations for β,β-dinaphthalenyl-substituted BAE-1s 17–20. The pronounced differences between the α,α-dinaphthalenyl and the β,β-dinaphthalenyl derivatives are noted. Dispersion-corrected B3LYP calculations stabilize significantly the α,α-dinaphthalenyl derivatives versus the β,β-dinaphthalenyl derivatives. The geometrical parameters of BAEs-1 11–15 and 20, derived from their molecular X-ray structures and from their B3LYP-optimized geometries are in a good agreement.