Tetrathio and tetraseleno[8]circulenes: synthesis, structures, and properties

Abstract

Novel sulfur and selenium-bridged [8]circulenes were prepared from octabromotetraphenylene. Structures of these compounds were unambiguously confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analyses. Photophysical and electrochemical investigations of these [8]circulenes suggest their potential applications as electronic materials. The antiaromatic nature of tetrathio[8]circulene and tetraselenium[8]circulene was studied by computational methods, and the NICS computational results reveal that the central eight-membered ring has highly antiaromatic character.

Keywords: [8]circulene; antiaromaticity; density functional theory calculation; electrochemistry; photophysics.