Magnetic Shielding Study of Bonding and Aromaticity in Corannulene and Coronene

Bonding and aromaticity in the bowl-shaped C5v and planar D5h geometries of corannulene and the planar D6h geometry of coronene are investigated using 3D isosurfaces and 2D contour plots of the isotropic magnetic shielding σiso(r) and, for planar geometries, of the out-of-plane component of the shielding tensor σzz(r). Corannulene and coronene both feature conjoined shielded “doughnuts” around a peripheral six-membered carbon ring, suggesting strong bonding interactions and aromatic stability; a deshielded region inside the hub ring of corannulene indicates that this ring is antiaromatic, more so in planar corannulene. The switch from the planar to the bowl-shaped geometry of corannulene is shown to enhance both bonding and the local aromaticities of the five- and six-membered rings; these factors, in addition to ring strain reduction, favour the bowl-shaped geometry. The most and least shielded bonds in both corannulene and coronene turn out to be the spoke and hub bonds, respectively. The higher π electron activity over spoke bonds in planar corannulene and coronene is supported by σzz(r) contour plots in planes 1 Å above the respective molecular planes; these findings about spoke bonds are somewhat unexpected, given that ring current studies indicate next to no currents over spoke bonds.

The Lord of the Chemical Rings: Catalytic Synthesis of Important Industrial Epoxide Compounds

The epoxidized group, also known as the oxirane group, can be considered as one of the most crucial rings in chemistry. Due to the high ring strain and the polarization of the C–O bond in this three-membered ring, several reactions can be carried out. One can see such a functional group as a crucial intermediate in fuels, polymers, materials, fine chemistry, etc. Literature covering the topic of epoxidation, including the catalytic aspect, is vast. No review articles have been written on the catalytic synthesis of short size, intermediate and macro-molecules to the best of our knowledge. To fill this gap, this manuscript reviews the main catalytic findings for the production of ethylene and propylene oxides, epichlorohydrin and epoxidized vegetable oil. We have selected these three epoxidized molecules because they are the most studied and produced. The following catalytic systems will be considered: homogeneous, heterogeneous and enzymatic catalysis.

Synthesis of a Highly Aromatic and Planar [10]Annulene

As the next neutral structure following Hückels rule, a planar and aromatic [10]annulene is ideal to study the link between ring size and aromaticity. However, the puckered geometry of the parent [10]annulene suggests that the aromatic stabilization energy is not sufficient to overcome the ring strain that exists when the system is forced into planarity. It has been shown computationally that this ring strain can be alleviated through the addition of two or more cyclopropane rings to the periphery, thereby creating theoretically aromatic structures. An alternative strategy to eliminating the issue of ring strain was demonstrated experimentally with the successful preparation of the highly aromatic 1,6-didehydro[10]annulene. However, the system rapidly cyclizes at -40°C to a naphthalene diradical due to the close proximity of the in-plane p-orbitals present in the system. Here we show that cyclopropanating one side of the unstable annulene successfully prevents the destabilizing cross-ring interaction while maintaining a highly aromatic structure. Remarkably, the formed [10]annulene is bench stable and can be stored for extended periods of time.<br>

Synthesis of a Highly Aromatic and Planar [10]Annulene

As the next neutral structure following Hückels rule, a planar and aromatic [10]annulene is ideal to study the link between ring size and aromaticity. However, the puckered geometry of the parent [10]annulene suggests that the aromatic stabilization energy is not sufficient to overcome the ring strain that exists when the system is forced into planarity. It has been shown computationally that this ring strain can be alleviated through the addition of two or more cyclopropane rings to the periphery, thereby creating theoretically aromatic structures. An alternative strategy to eliminating the issue of ring strain was demonstrated experimentally with the successful preparation of the highly aromatic 1,6-didehydro[10]annulene. However, the system rapidly cyclizes at -40°C to a naphthalene diradical due to the close proximity of the in-plane p-orbitals present in the system. Here we show that cyclopropanating one side of the unstable annulene successfully prevents the destabilizing cross-ring interaction while maintaining a highly aromatic structure. Remarkably, the formed [10]annulene is bench stable and can be stored for extended periods of time.<br>

Preface to “Aziridine Chemistry”

Aziridine is a nitrogen-containing three-membered ring with similar ring strain energy as other three-membered ring compounds, including cyclopropane and oxirane [...]

Bis(perchlorocatecholato)silane and Heteroleptic Bidonors: Hidden Frustrated Lewis Pairs by Ring Strain

Bis(perchlorocatecholato)silane and bidentate N,N- or N,P-heteroleptic donors form hexacoordinated complexes. Depending on the ring strain and hemilability in the adducts, Frustrated Lewis pair reactivity with aldehydes and catalytic ammonia borane...