Narrowing Segments of Helical Carbon Nanotubes with Curved Aromatic Panels

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2019 May 27;58(22):7385-7389. doi: 10.1002/anie.201902893. Epub 2019 Apr 30.

Abstract

Rigid molecular cylinders with a 1 nm diameter were synthesized by assembling arylene panels with Pt-mediated macrocylization. Chrysenylene panels that previously participated in tetrameric macrocyclization were contorted by the addition of two benzo groups on the sides to form dibenzochrysenylene, which allowed for a reduction in the numbers of participating panels to three. Consequently, narrowed cyclochrysenylene congeners were obtained. The narrowed chiral cylinders possessed width-dependent chiroptical properties. The magnetic transition dipole moment was dictated by the radius of a ring-current-like circle that was formed by local electric transition dipole moments on the cylinder.

Keywords: chirality; circular dichroism; cylinders; macrocycles; nanotubes.