Felix Hennersdorf

Cationic Nitrogen-Doped Helical Nanographenes

Herein, we report the design and synthesis of a series of novel cationic nitrogen-doped nanographenes (CNDNs) with nonplanar geometry and axial chirality. Single-crystal X-ray analysis reveals helical and cove-edged structures. Compared to their all-carbon analogues, the frontier orbitals of the CNDNs are energetically lower lying, with a reduced optical energy gap and greater electron-accepting behavior. Cyclic voltammetry shows all the derivatives to undergo quasireversible reductions. In situ spectroelectrochemical studies prove that, depending on the number of nitrogen dopants, either neutral radicals (one nitrogen dopant) or radical cations (two nitrogen dopants) are formed upon reduction. The concept of cationic nitrogen doping and introducing helicity into nanographenes paves the way for the design and synthesis of expanded nanographenes or even graphene nanoribbons with cationic nitrogen dopants.

Exploration of pyrazine-embedded antiaromatic polycyclic hydrocarbons generated by solution and on-surface azomethine ylide homocoupling

Nanographenes, namely polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with nanoscale dimensions (>1 nm), are atomically precise cutouts from graphene. They represent prime models to enhance the scope of chemical and physical properties of graphene through structural modulation and functionalization. Defined nitrogen doping in nanographenes is particularly attractive due to its potential for increasing the number of π-electrons, with the possibility of introducing localized antiaromatic ring elements. Herein we present azomethine ylide homocoupling as a strategy to afford internally nitrogen-doped, non-planar PAH in solution and planar nanographene on surfaces, with central pyrazine rings. Localized antiaromaticity of the central ring is indicated by optical absorption spectroscopy in conjunction with theoretical calculations. Our strategy opens up methods for chemically tailoring graphene and nanographenes, modified by antiaromatic dopants.Polyaromatic hydrocarbons can be precisely manipulated to yield ever more complex and discrete graphene analogs, such as nanographenes. Here, the authors use azomethine ylide homocoupling to insert an antiaromatic pyrazine ring into the core of a nanographene, and characterize the molecule’s unique electronic character.

Silver Indium Telluride Semiconductors and Their Solid Solutions with Cadmium Indium Telluride: Structure and Physical Properties

Ag0.8In2.4Te4 (= AgIn3Te5) and Ag0.5In2.5Te4 (= AgIn5Te8) form solid solutions with CdIn2Te4, which are interesting as materials for photovoltaics or with respect to their thermoelectric properties. The corresponding crystal structures are related to the chalcopyrite type. Rietveld refinements of high-resolution synchrotron powder diffraction data measured at K-absorption edges of Cd, Ag, In, and Te and electron diffraction reveal the symmetry as well as the element and vacancy distribution in Ag0.8In2.4Te4 (= AgIn3Te5)/Ag0.5In2.5Te4 (= AgIn5Te8) mixed crystals such as Ag0.25Cd0.5In2.25Te4 and Ag0.2Cd0.75In2.1Te4. All compounds of the solid solution series (CdIn2Te4)x(Ag0.5In2.5Te4)1-x exhibit the HgCu2I4 structure type (space group I4̅2m) with completely ordered vacancies but disordered cations. The uniform cation distribution and thus the local charge balance are comparable to that of CdIn2Te4. In contrast, Ag0.8In2.4Te4 (= AgIn3Te5) crystallizes in the space group P4̅2c with disordered cations and partially ordered vacancies. This is corroborated by bond-valence sum calculations and the fact that there is a Vegard-like behavior for compounds with 0.5 < x in the pseudobinary system (CdIn2Te4)x(Ag0.8In2.4Te4)1-x. Owing to the different structures, there is no complete solid solution series between CdIn2Te4 and AgIn3Te5. All compounds in this work are n-type semiconductors with a low electrical conductivity (∼1 S/m) and rather high absolute Seebeck coefficients (up to -750 μV/mK; 225 °C). Electrical band gaps (Eg) determined from the Seebeck coefficients as well as (more reliably) from the electrical conductivity range between 0.19 and 1.13 eV.

Nitrogen–Phosphorus(III)–Chalcogen Macrocycles for the Synthesis of Polynuclear Silver(I) Sandwich Complexes

The synthesis of inorganic N-P(III)-Ch-based macrocycles [-PhP-NMe-PPh-Ch-]2 (8Ch; Ch = S, Se) is presented by incorporating two nitrogen, two chalcogen, and four phosphorus atoms. The macrocycles are conveniently obtained via the cyclocondensation reaction of Na2Ch (Ch = S, Se) with the acyclic dichlorodiphosphazane ClPhP-NMe-PClPh (9). Treatment with elemental sulfur (S8) or gray selenium (Segray) results in an oxidative ring contraction to give 1,3,2,4-thiazadiphosphetidine 2,4-disulfide (10S) and 1,3,2,4-selenazadiphosphetidine 2,4-diselenide (10Se), respectively. Macrocycles 8Ch are excellent multidentate ligands for transition metal complexation, as demonstrated by the isolation of mono-, di- tri-, and tetranuclear silver sandwich complexes. The polynuclear silver complexes are comprehensively characterized, including detailed NMR and X-ray analysis.

Isolation of Azadiphosphiridines and Diphosphenimines by Cycloaddition of Azides and a Cationic Diphosphene

The polarized, cationic diphosphene [(Cl ImDipp )P=P(Dipp)]+ as the triflate salt 7[OTf](Cl ImDipp =4,5-dichloro-1,3-bis(Dipp)-imidazol-2-yl; Dipp=2,6-diisopropylphenyl) reacts with azides of type RN3 (R=Dipp or Dmp; Dmp=2,5-dimethylphenyl) in a [2+3] cycloaddition reaction followed by the release of N2 and a subsequent electrocyclic ring-closing reaction to azadiphosphiridine salts [(Cl ImDipp )P-P(Dipp)-N(R)]10a,b[OTf] (R=Dipp or Dmp). The reaction of 7[X] (X=OTf, GaCl4 ) with the electron-rich azides Me3 SiN3 and NaN3 give the unusual diphosphenimine derivatives [(Cl ImDipp )P-P(Dipp)=N(SiMe3 )]+ (11[OTf]) and [(Cl ImDipp )P-P(Dipp)=N(GaCl3 )] (12), respectively, featuring an acyclic P2 N moiety. Theoretical calculations provide insights into the reaction mechanisms to the cyclic and acyclic forms, in which the thermodynamic stability of the latter prevents the electrocyclic ring closure.

Toward Full Zigzag-Edged Nanographenes: peri-Tetracene and Its Corresponding Circumanthracene

Zigzag-edged nanographene with two rows of fused linear acenes, called as n- peri-acene (n-PA), is considered as a potential building unit in the arena of organic electronics. n-PAs with four ( peri-tetracene, 4-PA), five ( peri-pentacene, 5-PA) or more benzene rings in a row have been predicted to show open-shell character, which would be attractive for the development of unprecedented molecular spintronics. However, solution-based synthesis of open-shell n-PA has thus far not been successful because of the poor chemical stability. Herein we demonstrated the synthesis and characterization of the hitherto unknown 4-PA by a rational strategy in which steric protection of the zigzag edges playing a pivotal role. The obtained 4-PA possesses a singlet biradical character ( y0 = 72%) and exhibits remarkable persistent stability with a half-life time ( t1/2) of ∼3 h under ambient conditions. UV-vis-NIR and electrochemical measurements reveal a narrow optical/electrochemical energy gap (1.11 eV) for 4-PA. Moreover, the bay regions of 4-PA enable the efficient 2-fold Diels-Alder reaction, yielding a novel full zigzag-edged circumanthracene.

Selective Derivatization of a Hexaphosphane from Functionalization of White Phosphorus

The reaction of LGa (L = Dipp(4-(Dipp-imino)pent-2-en-2-yl)amide; Dipp: 2,6-diisopropylphenyl) and white phosphorus was revisited. A plethora of unprecedented polyphosphanes in addition to the known monoinserted product LGaP4 (1) are observed. An optimized synthesis of the hitherto unknown hexaphosphane (LGa)2P6 (3) is presented, and its subsequent selective derivatization with Brønsted acids, MeOTf, Ph2ECl (E = P, As), and NaOCP provides access to a wealth of functionalized hexa- and heptaphosphanes.

Condensation Reactions of Chlorophosphanes with Chalcogenides

A high-yielding and facile synthesis for diphosphane monochalcogenides (1(Ch)((R))) and their constitutional isomers, diphosphanylchalcoganes (2(Ch)((R))), was developed, featuring a condensation reaction between chlorophosphanes (R2PCl) and sodium chalcogenides (Na2Ch, Ch = S, Se, (Te)). The optimized protocol selectively yields either 1(Ch)((R)) (R2(Ch)PPR2) or 2(Ch)((R)) (Ch(PR2)2) depending upon the steric demand of the substituents R. Reaction pathways consistent with the distinct reaction outcomes are proposed. The application of 1(Ch)((R)) and 2(Ch)((R)) as an interesting class of ligands is exemplarily demonstrated by the preparation of selected transition metal complexes.

Tripodal polyamines: Adjustable receptors for cation extraction

ABSTRACT Extraction experiments of a series of tris(2-aminoethyl)amine-based ligands with different aromatic substituents act as efficient extractants for transition metals. Octanol-water distribution measurements, determined stability constants of Ag(I) complexes and Zn(II) extraction studies with different counterions point to the extraction efficiency in dependence of the ligand lipophilicity and the specific structure of the ligand. Competitive extraction experiments showed a selective extraction of Cu(II) from a mixture of Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), and Cd(II). Additional hydroxyl groups in (tris(2-hydroxybenzylaminoethyl)amine lead to a loss of this selectivity with extraction yields of 46%, 86% and 97% for Co(II), Ni(II) and Cd(II) ions.

Exploration of Thiazolo[5,4‐d]thiazole Linkages in Conjugated Porous Organic Polymers for Chemoselective Molecular Sieving

Porous organic polymers (POPs) have attracted significant attention towards molecular adsorption in recent years due to their high porosity, diverse functionality and excellent chemical stability. In this work, we present a systematic case study on the formation of thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole (TzTz) linkages through model compounds and its integration to synthesize a set of three novel, thermo-chemically stable TzTz-linked POPs, namely TzTz-POP-3, TzTz-POP-4, and TzTz-POP-5 with triphenylbenzene, tetraphenylpyrene and tetra(hydroxyphenyl)methane cores, respectively. Interestingly, the integrated TzTz moiety of the represented TzTz-POP-3 renders chemoselective removal of organic dye fluorescein (FL) from a mixture with parafuchsine (FU) in aqueous solution. The TzTz-POP-3 offered excellent chemoselectivity of ≈1:7 (FL:FU), compared to alike porous materials demonstrated for similar applications due to the presence of multiple active anchoring sites coupled with permanent porosity and appropriate pore window.