Porphene and porphite as porphyrin analogs of graphene and graphite.

Two-dimensional materials have unusual properties and promise applications in nanoelectronics, spintronics, photonics, (electro)catalysis, separations, and elsewhere. Most are inorganic and their properties are difficult to tune. Here we report the preparation of Zn porphene, a member of the previously only hypothetical organic metalloporphene family.

Phenyl-Substituted Cibalackrot Derivatives: Synthesis, Structure, and Solution Photophysics.

Three symmetrically and three unsymmetrically substituted cibalackrot (7,14-diphenyldiindolo[3,2,1-:3',2',1'-][1,5]naphthyridine-6,13-dione, ) dyes carrying two derivatized phenyl rings have been synthesized as candidates for molecular electronics and especially for singlet fission, a process of interest for solar energy conversion. Solution measurements provided singlet and triplet excitation energies and fluorescence yields and lifetimes; conformational properties were analyzed computationally. The molecular properties are close to ideal for singlet fission.

Structure and photophysics of indigoids for singlet fission: Cibalackrot.

We report an investigation of structure and photophysics of thin layers of cibalackrot, a sturdy dye derived from indigo by double annulation at the central double bond. Evaporated layers contain up to three phases, two crystalline and one amorphous. Relative amounts of all three have been determined by a combination of X-ray diffraction and FT-IR reflectance spectroscopy.

EPR Spectroscopy of Radical Ions of a 2,3-Diamino-1,4-naphthoquinone Derivative.

We report the electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of the radical cation and radical anion of 1,2,2,3-tetramethyl-2,3-dihydro-1 H-naphtho[2,3- d]imidazole-4,9-dione (1) and its doubly C labeled analogue 2, of interest for singlet fission. The hyperfine coupling constants are in excellent agreement with density functional theory calculations and establish the structures beyond doubt. Unlike the radical cation 1, the radical anion 1 and its parent 1 have pyramidalized nitrogen atoms and inequivalent methyl groups 15 and 16, in agreement with the calculations.

Structure of a monolayer of molecular rotors on aqueous subphase from grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction.

In situ grazing-incidence X-ray scattering shows that a monolayer of artificial rod-shaped dipolar molecular rotors produced on the surface of an aqueous subphase in a Langmuir trough has a structure conducive to a 2D ferroelectric phase. The axes of the rotors stand an average of 0.83 nm apart in a triangular grid, perpendicular to the surface within experimental error.

Singlet Fission and Excimer Formation in Disordered Solids of Alkyl-Substituted 1,3-Diphenylisobenzofurans.

We describe the preparation and excited state dynamics of three alkyl derivatives of 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran (1) in both solutions and thin films. The substitutions are intended to disrupt the slip-stacked packing observed in crystals of 1 while maintaining the favorable energies of singlet and triplet for singlet fission (SF). All substitutions result in films that are largely amorphous as judged by the absence of strong X-ray diffraction peaks.

C Recognition from Extended Tetrathiafulvalene Bis-acetylide Platinum(II) Complexes.

The favorable spatial organization imposed by the square planar 4,4'-di(tert-butyl)-2,2'-bipyridine (dbbpy) platinum(II) complex associated with the electronic and shape complementarity of π-extended tetrathiafulvalene derivatives (exTTF) toward fullerenes is usefully exploited to construct molecular tweezers, which display good affinities for C.

Arrays of Molecular Rotors with Triptycene Stoppers: Surface Inclusion in Hexagonal Tris(o-phenylenedioxy)cyclotriphosphazene.

A new generation of rod-shaped dipolar molecular rotors designed for controlled insertion into channel arrays in the surface of hexagonal tris(o-phenylenedioxy)cyclotriphosphazene (TPP) has been designed and synthesized. Triptycene is used as a stopper intended to prevent complete insertion, forcing the formation of a surface inclusion. Two widely separated (13)C NMR markers are present in the shaft for monitoring the degree of insertion.

Time-Resolved Fluorescence Anisotropy of Bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane/Tolane-Based Molecular Rods Included in Tris(-phenylenedioxy)cyclotriphosphazene (TPP).

We examine the fluorescence anisotropy of rod-shaped guests held inside the channels of tris(-phenylenedioxy)cyclotriphosphazene (TPP) host nanocrystals, characterized by powder X-ray diffraction and solid state NMR spectroscopy. We address two issues: (i) are light polarization measurements on an aqueous colloidal solution of TPP nanocrystals meaningful, or is depolarization by scattering excessive? (ii) Can measurements of the rotational mobility of the included guests be performed at low enough loading levels to suppress depolarization by intercrystallite energy transfer? We find that meaningful measurements are possible and demonstrate that the long axis of molecular rods included in TPP channels performs negligible vibrational motion.

Photocurrent enhanced by singlet fission in a dye-sensitized solar cell.

Investigations of singlet fission have accelerated recently because of its potential utility in solar photoconversion, although only a few reports definitively identify the role of singlet fission in a complete solar cell. Evidence of the influence of singlet fission in a dye-sensitized solar cell using 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran (DPIBF, 1) as the sensitizer is reported here. Self-assembly of the blue-absorbing 1 with co-adsorbed oxidation products on mesoporous TiO2 yields a cell with a peak internal quantum efficiency of ∼70% and a power conversion efficiency of ∼1.

Covalent dimers of 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran for singlet fission: synthesis and electrochemistry.

The synthesis of covalent dimers in which two 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran units are connected through one phenyl substituent on each is reported. In three of the dimers, the subunits are linked directly, and in three others, they are linked via an alkane chain. A seventh new compound in which two 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran units share a phenyl substituent is also described.

Arrays of dipolar molecular rotors in Tris(o-phenylenedioxy) cyclotriphosphazene.

Regular two-dimensional or three-dimensional arrays of mutually interacting dipolar molecular rotors represent a worthy synthetic objective. Their dielectric properties, including possible collective behavior, will be a sensitive function of the location of the rotors, the orientation of their axes, and the size of their dipoles. Host-guest chemistry is one possible approach to gaining fine control over these factors.

Self-assembled containers based on extended tetrathiafulvalene.

Two original self-assembled containers constituted each by six electroactive subunits are described. They are synthesized from a concave tetratopic π-extended tetrathiafulvalene ligand bearing four pyridyl units and cis-M(dppf)(OTf)2 (M = Pd or Pt; dppf = 1,1'-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene; OTf = trifluoromethane-sulfonate) complexes. Both fully characterized assemblies present an oblate spheroidal cavity that can incorporate one perylene molecule.

A BPTTF-based self-assembled electron-donating triangle capable of C60 binding.

A kinetically stable self-assembled redox-active triangle is isolated. The resulting electron-donating cavity, which incorporates three BPTTF units, exhibits a remarkable binding ability for electron-deficient C(60), supported by a favorable combination of structural and electronic features.

A bis(3-hydroxy-4-pyridinone)-EDTA derivative as a strong chelator for M3+ hard metal ions: complexation ability and selectivity.

The study of chelating compounds is very important to solve problems related to human metal overload. 3-Hydroxy-3-pyridinones (HP), namely deferiprone, have been clinically used for chelating therapy of Fe and Al over the last decade. A multi-disciplinary search for alternative molecules led us to develop poly-(3-hydroxy-4-pyridinones) to increase metal chelation efficacy.

N-aryl pyrrolo-tetrathiafulvalene based ligands: synthesis and metal coordination.

A straightforward general synthetic access to N-aryl-1,3-dithiolo[4,5-c]pyrrole-2-thione derivatives 6 from acetylenedicarbaldehyde monoacetal is depicted. In addition to their potentiality as precursors to dithioalkyl-pyrrole derivatives, thiones 6 are key building blocks to N-aryl monopyrrolo-tetrathiafulvalene (MPTTF) derivatives 10. X-ray structures of four of these thiones intermediates, reminiscent of the corresponding MPTTF derivatives, are provided.

Combined chelation based on glycosyl-mono- and bis-hydroxypyridinones for aluminium mobilization: solution and biodistribution studies.

Taking into account the recognized interest of a poly-pharmacological strategy in chelation therapy, a study of aluminium combined chelation based on 3-hydroxy-4-pyridinone (3,4-HP) compounds with complementary properties, associated to different denticity, size and extrafunctionality, is presented herein. In particular, Al-chelation has been explored, using a tetradentate IDA bis-(3,4-HP) ligand, L, and two N-glycosyl mono-(3,4-HP) derivatives (A or B). Combined complexation studies with the tetradentate and the most promising bidentate ligand (A) evidenced the formation of ternary complexes with high thermodynamic stability (Al-L-A) being the predominant species at physiological pH.