Hidemitsu Uno

Synthesis and optical properties of a new class of pyrromethene–BF2 complexes fused with rigid bicyclo rings and benzo derivatives

Abstract A new class of boron dipyrromethene (BDP) dyes fused with rigid bicyclo[2.2.2]octadiene units are prepared, which are converted into benzo BDP dyes via a retro Diels–Alder reaction; the absorption and fluorescence spectra of the new dyes are discussed.

Synthesis, properties, and ambipolar organic field-effect transistor performances of symmetrically cyanated pentacene and naphthacene as air-stable acene derivatives.

5,12-Dicyanonaphthacene and 6,13-dicyanopentacene have been synthesized for the first time. The LUMO and HOMO levels are deepened as predicted and fabricated organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) showed ambipolar responses with carrier mobilities of 10(-3) cm(2)/V·s.

Supramolecular Structures and Photoelectronic Properties of the Inclusion Complex of a Cyclic Free‐Base Porphyrin Dimer and C60

A cyclic free-base porphyrin dimer H4-CPD(Py) (CPD = cyclic porphyrin dimer) linked by butadiyne moieties bearing 4-pyridyl groups self-assembles to form a novel porphyrin nanotube in the crystalline state. The cyclic molecules link together through nonclassical C-H⋅⋅⋅N hydrogen bonds and π–π interactions of the pyridyl groups along the crystallographic a axis. H4-CPD(Py) includes a C60 molecule in its cavity in solution. In the crystal structure of the inclusion complex (C60⊂H4-CPD(Py)), the dimer “bites” a C60 molecule by tilting the porphyrin rings with respect to each other, and there are strong π–π interactions between the porphyrin rings and C60. The included C60 molecules form a zigzag chain along the crystallographic b axis through van der Waals contacts with each other. Femtosecond laser flash photolysis of C60⊂H4-CPD(Py) in the solid state with photoexcitation at 420 nm shows the formation of a completely charge-separated state {H4-CPD(Py)·+ + C60·−}, which decays with a lifetime of 470 ps to the ground state. The charge-carrier mobility of the single crystal of C60⊂H4-CPD(Py) was determined by flash photolysis time-resolved microwave conductivity (FP-TRMC) measurements. C60⊂H4-CPD(Py) has an anisotropic charge mobility (Σμ = 0.16 and 0.13 cm2 V(−1)  s(−1)) along the zigzag chain of C60 (which runs at 45° and parallel to the crystallographic b axis). To construct a photoelectrochemical cell, C60⊂H4-CPD(Py) was deposited onto nanostructured SnO2 films on a transparent electrode. The solar cell exhibited photovoltaic activity with an incident photon to current conversion efficiency of 17%.

Application of MCD Spectroscopy and TD‐DFT to Nonplanar Core‐Modified Tetrabenzoporphyrins: Effect of Reduced Symmetry on Nonplanar Porphyrinoids

The optical spectra of a series of core-modified tetrabenzoporphyrins were analyzed to determine the effects of core modification, ligand folding, and partial benzo substitution at the ligand periphery on the electronic structure by using magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) and NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry, and TD-DFT calculations. Planar 21-carba-, 21-thia-, 21,23-dithia-, and 21-oxa-23-thiatetrabenzo[b,g,l,q]porphyrins reported previously were studied together with the previously unreported 21-oxa- and 21-carba-23-thiatetrabenzo[b,g,l,q]porphyrins. The optical properties of these compounds are compared to those of tetrabenzo[b,g,l,q]-, 5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl-, 5,10,15,20-tetraphenyltetrabenzo[b,g,l,q]-21-thia-, 5,10,15,20-tetraphenyltetrabenzodithia-, 5,10,15,20-tetraphenyldibenzo[g,q]-21,23-dithia-, 5,10,15,20-tetraphenyldibenzo[b,l]-21,23-dithia-, 5,10,15,20-tetraphenyltribenzo[g,q,l]-21-thia-, and 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylbenzo[b]-21-thiaporphyrins. Michls perimeter model and Goutermans four-orbital model are used to conceptualize the results and to account for red shifts commonly observed in the spectral bands of nonplanar porphyrinoids.

Synthesis and characterization of tetraanthroporphyrins.

Linearly pi-expanded novel tetraanthroporphyrins with and without aromatic rings at the meso-positions were prepared quantitatively for the first time from the corresponding precursors by a retro-Diels-Alder reaction.

A convenient synthesis of isothianaphthene oligomers and their electrochemical studies

Bi- and tri-isothianaphthene-α,ω-dicarbaldehydes were easily synthesized by using 4,7-dihydro-4,7-ethano-2-benzo[c]thiophene as a useful synthon of 1,3-unsubstituted isothianaphthene. The UV–vis absorptions of oligo-isothianaphthene derivatives exhibit a considerable bathochromic shift compared to the cases of other oligo-thiophene analogs, and their cyclic voltammetry shows narrowed HOMO–LUMO gaps of the isothianaphthene derivatives. This indicates high efficiency of π-electron delocalization in the oligo-isothianaphthenes along the conjugated backbone.

Highly Pure Synthesis, Spectral Assignments, and Two-Photon Properties of Cruciform Porphyrin Pentamers Fused with Benzene Units

Tetrameric porphyrin formation of 2-hydroxymethylpyrrole fused with porphyrins through a bicyclo[2.2.2]octadiene unit gave bicyclo[2.2.2]octadiene-fused porphyrin pentamers. Thermal conversion of the pentamers gave fully pi-conjugated cruciform porphyrin pentamers fused with benzene units in quantitative yields. UV/Vis spectra of fully pi-conjugated porphyrin pentamers showed one very strong Q absorption and were quite different from those of usual porphyrins. From TD-DFT calculations, the HOMO level is 0.49 eV higher than the HOMO-1 level. The LUMO and LUMO+1 levels are very close and are lower by more than 0.27 eV than those of other unoccupied MOs. The strong Q absorption was interpreted as two mutually orthogonal single-electron transitions (683 nm: 86 %, HOMO-->LUMO; 680 nm: 86 %, HOMO-->LUMO+1). The two-photon absorption (TPA) cross section value (sigma((2))) of the benzene-fused porphyrin pentamer was estimated to be 3900 GM at 1500 nm, which is strongly correlated with a cruciform molecular structure with multidirectional pi-conjugation pathways.

Phenothiazine-bridged cyclic porphyrin dimers as high-affinity hosts for fullerenes and linear array of C60 in self-assembled porphyrin nanotube.

Free-bases and a nickel(II) complex of phenothiazine-bridged cyclic porphyrin dimers bearing self-assembling 4-pyridyl groups (M2-Ptz-CPDPy(OCn); M = H2 or Ni, OCn = OC6 or OC3) at opposite meso-positions have been prepared as host molecules for fullerenes. The free-base dimer (H4-Ptz-CPDPy(OC6)) includes fullerenes with remarkably high association constants such as 3.9 ± 0.7 × 10(6) M(-1) for C60 and 7.4 ± 0.8 × 10(7) M(-1) for C70 in toluene. This C60 affinity is the highest value ever among reported receptors composed of free-base porphyrins. The nickel dimer (Ni2-Ptz-CPDPy(OC6)) also shows high affinities for C60 (1.3 ± 0.2 × 10(6) M(-1)) and C70 (over 10(7) M(-1)). In the crystal structure of the inclusion complex of C60 within H4-Ptz-CPDpy(OC3), the C60 molecule is located just above the centers of the porphyrins. The two porphyrin planes are almost parallel to each other and the center-to-center distance (12.454 Å) is close to the optimal separation (∼12.5 Å) for C60 inclusion. The cyclic porphyrin dimer forms a nanotube through its self-assembly induced by C-H···N hydrogen bonds between porphyrin β-CH groups and pyridyl nitrogens as well as π-π interactions of the pyridyl groups. The C60 molecules are linearly arranged in the inner channel of this nanotube.

Organic Thin-Film Transistor from a Pentacene Photoprecursor

Organic thin-film transistors were successfully fabricated by the spin-coating method using a photo-precursor of pentacene, 6,13-dihydro-6,13-ethanopentacene-15,16-dione. After spin coating the soluble precursor, irradiation with visible light gave a pentacene film. A good mobility of 0.34 cm2 V-1 s-1 and a high on/off ratio of 2.0×106 were achieved by treatment of the insulator surface with methyl silsesquioxane and by deposition of pentacene from the precursor with visible light irradiation (>300 nm) and mild heat treatment (110–120 °C). In this case, small grains of pentacene crystals existed in the loosely ordered pentacene mesophase, in which pentacene molecules aligned vertically. Not only the grains of pentacene crystals but also the loosely packed pentacene phase played an important role in the field-effect transistor (FET) performance.

Cylindradines A and B: Novel Bromopyrrole Alkaloids from the Marine Sponge Axinella cylindratus

The novel alkaloids cylindradines A and B were isolated from Axinella cylindratus, and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses. Stereochemistries of these compounds were determined by X-ray analysis. Cylindradines showed moderate inhibitory activity against the murine leukemia cell line P388.