Tetrathiafulvalene Hetero Radical Cation Dimerization in a Redox-Active [2]Catenane

By Wang, Cheng; Dyar, Scott M.; Cao, Dennis; Fahrenbach, Albert C.; Horwitz, Noah; Colvin, Michael T.; Carmieli, Raanan; Stern, Charlotte L.; Dey, Sanjeev K.; Wasielewski, Michael R. & Stoddart, J. Fraser
Published in Journal of the American Chemical Society NULL 2012

Abstract

The electronic properties of tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) can be tuned by attaching electron-donating or electron-withdrawing substituents. An electron-rich macrocyclic polyether containing two TTF units of different constitutions, namely 4,4'-bis(hydroxymethyl)tetrathiafulvalene (OTTFO) and 4,4'-bisthiotetrathiafulvalene (STTFS), has been synthesized. On two-electron oxidation, a hetero radical dimer is formed between OTTFO•+ and STTFS•+. The redox behavior of the macrocyclic polyether has been investigated by electrochemical techniques and UV -vis and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopies. The [2]catenane in which the macrocyclic polyether is mechanically interlocked with the cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene) (CBPQT4+) ring has also been prepared using template-directed protocols. In the case of the [2]catenane, the formation of the TTF hetero radical dimer is prevented sterically by the CBPQT4+ ring. After a one-electron oxidation, a 70:30 ratio of OTTFO•+ to STTFS•+ is present at equilibrium, and, as a result, two translational isomers of the [2]catenane associated with these electronically different isomeric states transpire. EPR titration spectroscopy and simulations reveal that the radical states of the two constitutionally different TTF units in the [2]catenane still experience long-range electronic intramolecular coupling interactions, despite the presence of the CBPQT4+ ring, when one or both of them are oxidized to the radical cationic state. These findings in the case of both the free macrocyclic polyether and the [2]catenane have led to a deeper fundamental understanding of the mechanism of radical cation dimer formation between constitutionally different TTF units.

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