title: Molecular compasses and gyroscopes. II. Synthesis and characterization of molecular rotors with axially substituted bis[2-(9-triptycyl)ethynyl]arenes.
abstract: We have developed a simple convergent procedure for the synthesis of molecular rotors consisting of a central aromatic group coupled with two axially positioned ethynyltriptycenes. Molecular rotors with 1,4-phenylene (1), 1,4'-1,1'-biphenylene (2), 9,10-anthracenylene (3), and 2,7-pyrenylene (4) groups were prepared by Pd(0)-catalyzed coupling of ethynyl triptycenes with the corresponding dibromoarenes. Although compounds 1-4 were not expected to have free rotation in the solid state, the rotational potentials of 1 and 3 were analyzed by semiempirical methods and the crystal packing of 1 was analyzed to design the structures most likely to yield a functional rotor in the solid state. Semiempirical PM3 calculations predict compounds 1, 2, and 4 to have frictionless internal rotation even at temperatures as low as 25 K, while compound 3 is expected to have a barrier of ca. 4 kcal/mol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095-1569, USA.
authors.forename: Carlos E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Godinez
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zepeda
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Garcia-Garibay