Synthesis of pyrazinoporphyrazine derivatives functionalised with tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) units: X-ray crystal structures of two related TTF cyclophanes and two bis(1,3-dithiole-2-thione) intermediates

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/chem.19970031018

The pyrazinoporphyrazine system 13 (metal-free, zinc and copper derivatives) has been synthesised by tetramerisation of 2,3-dicyanopyrazine monomer unit 10. The structure of 13a-c has been established by HNMR spectroscopy, UV/Vis spectrophotometry, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. The electrochemical redox behaviour of 13a-c is strongly solvent dependent. The expected two-stage oxidation of the tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) units of 13a-c was observed in a range of solvents; in addition, oxidation and reduction of the pyrazinoporphyrazine core of the metal-free derivative 13a was detected in benzonitrile. On excitation of 13 in the Q-band region no fluorescence was observed, which is presumably the consequence of intramolecular charge transfer between the TTF moieties and the excited state of the central porphyrazine. Molecular modelling studies on 13a and 13c are reported. During the course of this work, the novel TTF macrocycles 11 and 20 were synthesised; their X-ray crystal structures reveal severely bent TTF units, the conformations of which are discussed in detail. The X-ray crystal structures of the bis(1,3-dithiole) systems 15 and 18 have also been determined.