Xianying Shi

Facile bottom-up synthesis of coronene-based 3-fold symmetrical and highly substituted nanographenes from simple aromatics.

A facile and efficient self-sorting assemble (CSA) strategy has been paved for bottom-up construction of the 3-fold symmetrical and highly substituted hexa-cata-hexabenzocoronenes (c-HBCs), the trithieno analogues, and larger disc-shaped PAHs from simple chemicals using benzylic carbons as tenon joints and a novel FeCl3-mediated AAA process as a key step. The structures of the as-prepared c-HBCs and related NGs were clearly identified by spectral analyses and X-ray crystallographic studies. Moreover, these can be envisaged to serve as new launching platforms for the construction of larger and more complex π-conjugated molecules and supramolecular architectures because of the modifiable and symmetrical decorations.

A Convenient Synthesis of N-Aryl Benzamides by Rhodium-Catalyzed ortho-Amidation and Decarboxylation of Benzoic Acids

The rhodium-catalyzed amidation of substituted benzoic acids with isocyanates by directed Cuf8ffH functionalization followed by decarboxylation to afford the corresponding N-aryl benzamides is demonstrated, in which the carboxylate serves as a unique, removable directing group. Notably, less common meta-substituted N-aryl benzamides are generated readily from more accessible para- or ortho-substituted groups by employing this strategy.

Ru(II)-catalyzed ortho -amidation and decarboxylation of aromatic acids: a versatile route to meta -substituted N -aryl benzamides

Carboxylate as a promising and valuable directing group has attracted a great deal of attention. However, employing it as a traceless direction group has rarely been reported. We developed the ruthenium-catalyzed amidation of substituted benzoic acids with isocyanates via directed C-H functionalization followed by decarboxylation to afford the corresponding meta-substituted N-aryl benzamides, in which the carboxylate serves as a unique, removable directing group. Notably, this protocol can provide an efficient alternative to access meta-substituted N-aryl benzamides, which are much more difficult to prepare than ortho-substituted analogues.

A peroxotungstate-ionic liquid brush assembly: an efficient and reusable catalyst for selectively oxidizing sulfides with aqueous H2O2 solution in neat water

An efficient and reusable heterogeneous catalytic assembly of peroxotungstate held in a ionic liquid (IL) brush was synthesized and an environmentally-friendly procedure was developed for selective oxidation of sulfides at room temperature using 30 wt.% hydrogen peroxide as the terminal oxidant and water as a sole solvent. No organic co-solvent or other additive was needed. A 1.5-2.0 mol% (based on W atom) loading catalyst was found to be sufficient for a smooth and clean reaction. Both aliphatic and aromatic sulfides were efficiently and selectively transformed into their respective sulfoxides or sulfones by simply controlling of equivalents of hydrogen peroxide. In addition to the high catalytic activity, the catalyst exhibits excellent chemoselectivity. Sensitive functional groups, such as double bond and hydroxyl, remained under the oxidation conditions the reaction even with an excess hydrogen peroxide. The catalyst was easily recovered (via simple filtration) and reused at least eight times without a noticeable loss of activity.

Catalyst‐Free Three‐Component Tandem CDC Cyclization: Convenient Access to Isoindolinones from Aromatic Acid, Amides, and DMSO by a Pummerer‐Type Rearrangement

A catalyst-free multicomponent CDC reaction is rarely reported, especially for the intermolecular tandem CDC cyclization, which represents an important strategy for constructing cyclic compounds. Herein, a three-component tandem CDC cyclization by a Pummerer-type rearrangement to afford biologically relevant isoindolinones from aromatic acids, amides, and DMSO, is described. This intermolecular tandem reaction undergoes a C(sp(2) )-H/C(sp(3) )-H cross-dehydrogenative coupling, C-N bond formation, and intramolecular amidation. A notable feature of this novel protocol is avoiding a catalyst and additive (apart from oxidant).

Triphenothiazinyl triazacoronenes: donor–acceptor molecular graphene exhibiting multiple fluorescence and electrogenerated chemiluminescence emissions

We synthesized and studied a new class of A–(π-D)3 type donor–acceptor molecular graphene, triphenothiazinyl triazacoronenes, [2,3,6,7,10,11-hexamethoxy-4,8,12-tri-(10-alkyl-phenothiazine)-1,5,9-triazacoronene] (TPTZ-TAC derivatives). These molecules have been synthesized by employing three electron-rich triphenothiazine (PTZ) groups as electron donors, which were linked to an electron acceptor of an electron-deficient triazacoronene core (2,3,6,7,10,11-hexamethoxy-1,5,9-triazacoronene, TAC). These donor–acceptor molecular graphenes exhibited unique multiple fluorescence and electro-generated chemiluminescence (ECL) emissions that are dependent on the concentration of these molecules, attributed to strong π-stacking interactions. The electrochemical behaviour showed two closely spaced consecutive reversible one-electron oxidations occurring on the PTZ groups and a reversible one-electron reduction localizing on the TAC core. The absorption and fluorescence emission spectra reveal that the electronic properties are affected by the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) interaction from the PTZ donors to TAC acceptors in the excited state. The effect of π-stacking interaction was noticed for the excimer emission at the lower energy region. The ICT properties of the TPTZ-TACs have been analyzed by concentration-dependence and solvatochromism of fluorescence spectral studies. Remarkably, multiple ECL emissions were produced from the TPTZ-TAC derivatives via a radical ion annihilation and coreactant process through the formation of a charge-transfer excimer state. This work demonstrates that the attachment of electron-rich PTZ groups as electron donors to an electron-deficient TAC core as an electron acceptor, is a promising route to improve the optoelectronic properties of the molecular graphene TAC core. The D–A molecule excimers will represent a new approach to red luminescence and a means to enhance the fluorescence efficiency.

Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Direct Addition of Aryl C–H Bonds to Unsaturated Electrophiles

The direct addition of Csp(2) -H bonds onto polar C=C, C=O, and C=N bonds is both synthetically and mechanistically important, because using aromatic C-H substrates in place of organometallic reagents provides a more direct and atom-economical alternative to many important compounds without the pre-generation of organometallic compounds from stoichiometric halides and the unavoidable generation of stoichiometric metal halide waste. In this account, we summarize our contributions to the transition-metal-catalyzed addition of aromatic C-H bonds to polar C=C, C=O, and C=N bonds via directing-group-assisted regiospecific reactions. These synthetic methods provide efficient access to benzylic alcohols, alkylbenzenes, 3-substituted phthalides, N-substituted phthalimides, N-aryl benzamides, and indene derivatives from commercially available reagents. It is worth noting that valuable heterocycles such as 3-substituted phthalides and N-substituted phthalimides can be obtained in one step by this approach.

Ruthenium (II)-catalyzed synthesis of phthalides via the cascade addition and cyclization of aromatic acids with aldehydes

The ruthenium-catalyzed intermolecular cascade cyclization of aromatic acids with aromatic aldehydes, which involves the direct insertion of C–H bond into a polar C=O bond and the successive intramolecular nucleophilic substitution, was developed for the synthesis of 3-substituted phthalides in good to excellent yields. This one-pot procedure characterizes in a short reaction time, the cheaper Ru(II) as a catalyst, readily available acids and aldehydes as starting materials, and water as the only theoretical by-product. These merits make the protocol an efficient and cost-effective route for the synthesis of 3-substituted phthalides.

Immobilized bis-layered ionic liquids/peroxotungstates as an efficient catalyst for selective oxidation of alcohols in neat water

An immobilized ionic liquids/peroxotungstates/SiO2 catalyst was prepared and characterized. The catalyst was proved to be very efficient for the selective oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols to their corresponding carbonyls with benign H2O2 as an oxidant in neat water. A 1.0 mol% (based on tungstate) dose of the catalyst was found to be sufficient for the oxidation. The catalyst is easily recovered after reaction via simple filtration, and was reused at least six times without a noticeable loss of the activity. A notable feature of this novel protocol is avoiding any organic co-solvent.