Tang et al.
JOCArticle
Experimental Section
Synthesis of Compounds 3 and 5. To a solution of compound
8 (200 mg, 0.74 mmol) in CH2Cl2 (10 mL) was added TCNE
(100 mg, 0.78 mmol) or TCNQ (150 mg, 0.74 mmol). The
mixture was stirred for 5 h at room temperature. After evapora-
tion of the solvent in vacuo, the solid was dissolved in a minimal
amount of CH2Cl2, then n-hexane was added until precipitation
started. Crystallization at 0 °C afforded the desired pure pro-
ducts. Compound 3 was isolated pure in 90% yield as dark blue
glassy solid. In the case of 5, pure product was obtained in 88%
yield as dark green glassy solid.
2-(4-(Diphenylamino)phenyl)buta-1,3-diene-1,1,4,4-tetracarbo-
nitrile (3). Mp 184-185 °C; H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ
7.01 (d, 2H, J = 9 Hz), 7.19 (m, 6H), 7.33 (d, 2H, J = 9 Hz),
7.36 (m, 4H), 8.01 (s,1H); 13C NMR (CDCl3, 100 MHz) δ 83.7,
97.9, 108.0, 109.0, 111.7, 112.3, 112.9, 119.3, 121.5, 126.3,
126.8, 130.1, 131.6, 145.2, 153.8, 155.1, 160.1; EI-HR-MS m/z
calcd for C26H15N5þ 397.1327, found 397.1330.
2-(4-(3,3-Dicyano-1-(4-(diphenylamino)phenyl)allylidene)cy-
clohexa-2,5-dienylidene)malononitrile (5). Mp 258-260 °C; 1HNMR
(400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 7.06 (d, 2H, J = 8.8 Hz), 7.10 (d, 2H, J = 8.8
Hz), 7.17 (m, 6H), 7.33 (m, 6H), 7.56 (s, 2H), 8.17 (s, 1H); 13C NMR
(CDCl3, 100 MHz) δ 79.8, 89.9, 92.2, 110.5, 111.7, 113.6, 114.1,
121.2, 125.2, 126.2, 127.4, 129.9, 131.4, 133.1, 137.5, 146.1, 146.3,
150.9, 151.7, 152.9, 154.5; EI-HR-MS m/z calcd for
Synthesis of 4-(2,2-Dibromovinyl)-N,N-diphenylbenzenamine
(7). 4-(Diphenylamino)benzaldehyde 6 (1.36 g, 5.0 mmol) was
added to a solution of CBr4 (3.31 g, 10.0 mmol) and PPh3 (5.25 g,
20.0 mmol) in anhydrous dichloromethane (50 mL). After the
solution was stirred for 60 min at room temperature, the re-
action was quenched with water (50 mL) and extracted with
dichloromethane (3 ꢁ 50 mL). The combined organic layers
were washed with water and brine, then dried over Mg2SO4.
After the solvent was removed under a reduced pressure, the
crude residue was purified by column chromatography on SiO2
with ethyl acetate-petroleum ether (1:1) to afford the desired
product 7 (1.5 g, 71%) as light yellow solid. Mp 122-123 °C; 1H
NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 6.99 (d, 2H, J = 8.7 Hz), 7.06 (m,
6H), 7.27 (m, 4H), 7.38 (s, 1H), 7.43 (d, 2H, J=8.7 Hz); 13C
NMR (CDCl3, 100 MHz) δ 87.1, 122.0, 123.8, 125.2, 128.5,
129.6, 136.4, 147.3, 148.3; HR-EI-MS m/z calcd for C20H15-
N79Br81Brþ 428.9551, found 428.9545.
Synthesis of (4-Ethynylphenyl)diphenylamine (8). n-BuLi
(27.50 mmol, 10 mL of a 2.75 M solution in hexane) was
added dropwise to a stirred solution of 7 (2.0 g, 4.7 mmol) in
anhydrous THF (30.0 mL) under a nitrogen atmosphere at
-78 °C. The solution was stirred at -78 °C for 1 h then
warmed to room temperature. The reaction mixture was
quenched with brine and extracted with ethyl acetate. The
combined organic layers were washed with water and brine,
then dried over Mg2SO4. The solvent was removed under a
reduced pressure. Purification by column chromatography on
SiO2 eluting with ethyl acetate-petroleum ether (1:99) af-
forded the desired product 8 (1.2 g, 95%) as a light yellow
solid. Mp 108-109 °C; spectroscopic data were consistent
with those reported previously23 for this compound; EI-MS
m/z C20H15Nþ 269.
Synthesis of 3-(4-(Diphenylamino)phenyl)propiolonitrile (9).
To a solution of compound 8 (800 mg, 2.9 mmol) dissolved at
-78 °C under nitrogen atmosphere in anhydrous THF (15.0
mL) was added n-BuLi (13.8 mmol, 5.0 mL of a 2.75 M solution
in hexane) dropwise. After 10 min of stirring at -78 °C, PhOCN
(1.3 g, 11 mmol) in THF (5.0 mL) was added slowly. The
solution was stirred for 30 min at -78 °C and warmed to room
temperature. The reaction mixture was quenched with brine and
extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic solution was washed
with water and brine, then dried over Mg2SO4. After removal of
the solvent under a reduced pressure, the residue was chroma-
tographed on SiO2 (eluent 1:50 ethyl acetate/petroleum ether) to
give 9 (800 mg, 90%) as a yellow solid. Mp 139-140 °C;
1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 6.92 (d, 2H, J = 8.8 Hz), 7.15
(m, 6H), 7.33 (m, 4H), 7.38 (d, 2H, J = 8.8 Hz); 13C NMR
(CDCl3, 100 MHz) δ 62.8, 84.6, 106.3, 107.9, 119.9, 125.2, 126.2,
1
C
32H19N5þ 473.1640, found 473.1643.
Synthesis of 3-(4-(Diphenylamino)phenyl)buta-1,3-diene-1,1,-
2,4,4-pentacarbonitrile (4). To a solution of compound 9 (800
mg, 2.72 mmol) in CH2Cl2 (40 mL) was added TCNE (350 mg,
2.73 mmol). The mixture was stirred for 48 h at room tempera-
ture. After evaporation of the solvent in vacuo, the residue was
chromatographed on SiO2 (eluent 1:4 petroleum/CH2Cl2) to
give a green product. The solid was dissolved in a minimal
amount of CH2Cl2, then n-hexane was added until precipitation
started. Crystallization at 0 °C afforded 4 (650 mg, 56%) as
a green solid. Mp 208-209 °C; 1HNMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ
6.96 (d, 2H, J = 9.2 Hz), 7.23 (d, 4H, J = 7.4 Hz), 7.31 (m, 2H),
7.43 (t, 4H, J = 7.4 Hz), 7.53 (d, 2H, J = 9.2 Hz); 13C NMR
(CDCl3, 100 MHz) δ 79.1, 105.3, 108.2, 108.9, 111.1, 112.3,
112.7, 118.4, 119.2, 127.1, 127.4, 130.4, 132.0, 138.6, 144.1,
þ
153.8, 154.9; EI-HR-MS m/z calcd for C27H14N6 422.1280,
found 422.1277.
Acknowledgment. This work is financially supported by
the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant
Nos. 60778033 and 20903110), the National High Technol-
ogy Research and Development Program of China (863
Program) (Grant No. 2008AA03A327), and the National
Basic Research Development Program of China (973 Program)
(Grant Nos. 2006CB933000 and 2009CB623703).
þ
129.9, 134.8, 146.1, 151.1; EI-HR-MS m/z calcd for C21H14N2
294.1157, found 294.1160.
Supporting Information Available: 1H NMR and 13C NMR
spectra for the new compounds. This material is available free of
(23) Onitsuka, K.; Ohara, N.; Takei, F.; Takahashi, S. Dalton Trans.
2006, 3693.
7278 J. Org. Chem. Vol. 75, No. 21, 2010