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Article

RETRACTED: Synthesis and Properties of Novel Alkyl-Substituted Hexaazacyclophanes and Their Diradical Dications

by
Shunjie Li
1 and
Jian Chen
2,*
1
College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China
2
College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei 235000, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Molecules 2024, 29(4), 789; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29040789
Submission received: 21 January 2024 / Revised: 4 February 2024 / Accepted: 6 February 2024 / Published: 8 February 2024 / Retracted: 31 March 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Macrocyclic Compounds: Derivatives and Applications)
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Abstract

Radicals based on arylamine cyclophanes can be used as functional materials and show application potential in fields such as synthetic chemistry, molecular electronic components, organic light-emitting diodes, and catalytic chemistry. Using a Buchwald–Hartwig palladium-catalyzed aryl halide amination method, we synthesized a series of neutral hexaazacyclophane compounds 1–3 with different substituents in the meta–meta–meta positions of the phenyl rings. Three characteristic high-spin hexaazacyclophane diradical dications were obtained by two-electron oxidation using AgSbF6: 12·+•2[SbF6]−, 22·+•2[SbF6]−, and 32·+•2[SbF6]−. The electronic structures and physical properties of these compounds were then investigated by 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, superconducting quantum interferometry, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations. The findings provide new ideas for designing radical species with novel physical properties and electronic structures. Importantly, the obtained radical species are not sensitive to air, making them valuable functional materials for practical applications.

Graphical Abstract

1. Introduction

The unique chemical properties of conjugated macrocyclic compounds have attracted considerable attention [1,2,3,4,5]. Conjugated molecules or ions not only have special physical characteristics such as strong nonlinear photoelectric properties, but they are also important in the study of novel materials, including polymer batteries, electronic conductors, and organic light-emitting devices. Among them, cyclic compounds have excellent optoelectronic properties, and their open-shell singlet ground-state double radicals have strong electron coupling characteristics and broad application prospects in magnetic devices [6,7,8]. In the past decade, the use of the para-connected phenyl ring as a scaffold for carbon-based materials sparked a research frenzy in the synthesis of cyclic compounds [9,10,11,12]. Heteroatom-substituted cyclic compounds exhibit interesting electronic properties due to their host–guest properties and bridging heteroatoms [13,14,15,16]. Thus, these compounds with unique molecular structures and chemical properties are being used to prepare various electronic devices. Researchers have successfully prepared cyclic compounds with various structural types such as ladder-like, ring-like, cage-like, and dendritic (Figure 1) [17,18,19,20,21]. When these cyclic compounds form cyclic radicals through electronic oxidation, the open-shell compounds exhibit unique magnetic, optical, and electronic properties that can be used to construct paramagnetic reagents and magnetic materials [22,23,24,25,26,27]. Due to the introduction of nitrogen atoms, nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds have relatively low oxidation potentials, and the substitution of methylene by nitrogen atoms strengthens the redox activity [28]. Unlike triarylamine compounds, nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds can be oxidized to obtain radical cations, diradical dications, and triradical trications. Meanwhile, changing the ability of the triarylamine terminal benzene ring to donate electrons to the substituent can alter the magnitude of intramolecular electron interactions and the crystal structural properties, thereby generating radicals with different optical and magnetic properties [29].
Thanks to the rapid development of palladium-catalyzed aryl amination reactions, various nitrogen-containing heterocycles have been reported in the past 20 years. Nitrogen-containing heterocyclic amines, which can be considered as monodisperse macrocyclic oligomers of polyaniline, are a valuable model system for studying the charge and spin behavior in ring-constrained polyaniline [30]. Although nitrogen heterocycles connected in all para-positions have been occasionally reported, hexaazacyclophanes or hexaazacyclophanes radicals connected in the meta-positions have not been reported [31,32,33]. We first synthesized three neutral meta–meta–meta hexaazacyclophane compounds (1, 2, and 3) with different substituent groups (Me, OMe, and tBu). Using AgSbF6 as an oxidant, we then performed two-electron oxidation to obtain stable hexaazacyclophane diradical dication 12·+ that can exist in a nitrogen atmosphere. In order to study how the remote substituents affect the electronic structure as well as magnetic property, we then prepared dication 22·+ and 32·+ with methoxyl or tert-butyl groups replacing Me. We systematically studied the characteristics of these hexaazacyclophane diradical dications through a series of characterization methods. Research has shown that changing the ability of the triarylamine terminal benzene ring to donate electrons to the substituent group can adjust the solid structural properties and the magnitude of intramolecular electron interactions, resulting in the preparation of diradicals with different magnetic and optical properties. The bulky tert-butyl group is expected not only to increase the stability of formed dication by delocalizing electron spin density, but to prevent intermolecular electronic interaction to afford a discrete diradical. Methoxy has a strong electron-donating ability, which can increase the electron density of the phenyl group connected to the nitrogen atom and change the strength of the coupling force between two single electrons. The steric hindrance of methyl substituents is small and has a certain electron-donating ability, which is beneficial for increasing intermolecular coupling. The results enrich our understanding of nitrogen-containing heterocyclic radicals and facilitate further exploration of their potential applications in conductive and magnetic materials. Importantly, the reported radical species are not sensitive to air, giving them practical application value as functional materials.

2. Results and Discussion

2.1. Synthesis and Identification

2.1.1. Synthesis of Neutral Hexaazacyclophane Compounds (1–3)

We designed and synthesized three neutral hexaazacyclophane compounds (1, 2, and 3) with Me, MeO, and tBu as the substituted groups, respectively. Special attention should be paid to the quantitative oxidation of hexaazacyclophanes 1, 2, and 3 at room temperature because they have lower redox potentials and higher stability compared with tetrazacyclophane. The neutral compounds 1, 2, and 3 were synthesized using the standard Buchwald–Hartwig palladium-catalyzed aryl halide amination method and characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy [34,35]. It is worth noting that the amination reaction takes place at a relatively low concentration (<0.1 M) in toluene at room temperature to facilitate the formation of cyclic compounds rather than polymers. A low reaction temperature (<90 °C) is conducive to the cyclization reaction. In all cases, during silica gel chromatography, hexaazacyclophane had the fastest elution time, simplifying the separation of the pure materials. To prepare macrocycles with more than one substituent, we investigated the step-by-step method shown in Scheme 1. The reaction of substituted aniline with 1,3-dibromobenzene yielded a new N,N′-diarylphenylenediamine in the first step. Using Pd(OAc)2 and 1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene (DPPF) as catalysts, 1,3-dibromobenzene was reacted with substituted aniline in toluene at 110 °C to prepare N,N′-diarylphenylenediamine units substituted with methyl, methoxy, and tert-butyl groups. The yield in this step ranged from 60% to quantitative yield depending on the substituent. The reaction involving the most electron-rich substituent, p-methoxyaniline, had the lowest yield due to the partial oxidation of the electron-rich product; palladium-catalyzed amination reactions provide higher yields when electron-rich aromatic amines react with electron-poor aromatic halides. In the second step, the N,N′-diarylphenylenediamine units were reacted with excess 1,3-dibromobenzene to prepare the N,N′-bis(3-bromophenyl)-N,N′-bis(4-alkylphenyl)benzene-1,3-diamines A–C. In the third step, compounds A–C (0.01 M) were reacted with substituted aniline using a 1:1 ratio substrate to obtain the target neutral hexaazacyclophanes 1–3 in yields ranging from 50% to 80%.

2.1.2. Synthesis of Hexaazacyclophane Diradical Dications 12·+•2[SbF6]−, 22·+•2[SbF6]−, and 32·+•2[SbF6]−

To investigate their electronic properties, compounds 1–3 were subjected to a two-electron oxidation reaction with two equivalents of AgSbF6 in CH2Cl2, resulting in hexaazacyclophane diradical dications with three different substituents in high yields: 12·+•2[SbF6]−, 22·+•2[SbF6]−, and 32·+•2[SbF6]− (Scheme 2). The mixed solution was stirred and reacted for 4 h. Upon filtering with a filter paper under nitrogen atmosphere to remove the gray Ag metal precipitates, a clear, dark yellow solution was obtained. Unlike ordinary radicals, these hexaazacyclophane diradical dications exist stably in a nitrogen-protected atmosphere and can also exist in the environment for several days. The hexaazacyclophane diradical dications are also highly soluble in organic solvents such as CH2Cl2.

2.2. Electrochemical Properties

Figure 2 shows the cyclic voltammetry curve of 1 in CH2Cl2 at room temperature using nBu4NPF6 as the supporting electrolyte. Two pairs of reversible oxidation peaks (vs. Ag/Ag+) were observed between approximately 0.04–0.26 and 0.40–0.60 V. This means a four-stage one-electron oxidation process, although the compound 1 has six redox centers. The first oxidation peak of 1 at +0.06 V can be attributed to the oxidation of the aromatic amine moiety (i.e., the formation of a radical cation in the cyclophane structure). We mainly focus on the reversible two-electron oxidation peak at an oxidation potential of approximately +0.24 V, indicating that 12+ is stable under this condition. The potential difference between the first and second oxidation processes (E2 − E1 = 190 mV) confirms that the generation of radical cations occurs on two different triarylamine moieties separated by m-phenylene coupling. It should be emphasized that all the observed oxidation processes are reversible.

2.3. Electronic Properties

To further investigate the ground-state electronic structures of the hexaazacyclophane diradical dications, we conducted electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy on frozen solutions of 12·+•2[SbF6]−, 22·+•2[SbF6]−, and 32·+•2[SbF6]− in CH2Cl2 at 90 K. The EPR spectra are shown in Figure 3a–c. A hyperfine splitting signal was observed in the entire field with Δms = ±1, indicating the presence of triplet diradicals. As seen in Figure 3a, the EPR spectrum of the frozen solution of 12·+ shows obvious diradical characteristics. According to the signal from the central magnetic field region, the g-factor was 2.003. According to the spectrum, the zero-field splitting value D was calculated to be 24 G. Based on the D value, the distance between the two spin centers was calculated to be approximately 10.51 Å, indicating that the spin electrons are delocalized throughout the molecule and that the two single electron centers are slightly shifted outward compared with the nitrogen atoms. According to the EPR spectrum of the frozen solution of 22·+ (Figure 3b), the zero-field splitting value D was calculated to be 20.75 G. The distance between the two spin centers was calculated to be 11.03 Å. Similarly, this indicates that due to spin electron delocalization throughout the molecule, the two single electron centers are slightly shifted outward compared to the two nitrogen atoms on the diagonal; the degree of delocalization of 22·+ is slightly greater than that of 12·+. According to the EPR spectrum of the frozen solution of 32·+ (Figure 3c), the zero-field splitting value D was calculated as 24.15 G, and the distance between the two spin centers was 10.48 Å, relatively close to that of 12·+. Therefore, the degree of delocalization was similar for the diradical dications 12·+ and 32·+. Less bulky substituents may lead to the formation of dimers or polymers with antiferromagnetic intermolecular interactions. Fortunately, we detected a half-field transition forbidden signal with Δms = ±2 in a low-temperature powder of 12·+, further indicating that 12·+ is a diradical dication. The half-field signal strength shows that the ground state of 12·+ is an open-shell singlet (OS) state; when the temperature increases to a certain extent, the OS state is thermally excited into a triplet state. The energy of the singlet state of 1·+ is particularly close to that of the triplet state (i.e., the two states are almost degenerate with ΔET–OS = 0.05 kcal/mol). The transition forbidden signals of powder samples 22·+ and 32·+ were also observed in Figure 3b,c.

2.4. DFT Calculations

To gain a deeper understanding of the electronic structures of the diradical dications, we use the single crystal structure as the initial form DFT calculations on compound 12·+ at the level of (U)B3LYP/6-311g(d,p). The HOMO and LUMO orbitals of 12·+ are delocalized throughout the entire molecular structure. For the diradicals, the spin density is mainly distributed on four nitrogen atoms, with some spin density observed on the bridged benzene ring and peripheral terminal substituents. According to the calculation results, the energy difference between the triplet and OS states was only 0.05 kcal/mol, indicating that the ground state of 12·+ is the singlet state and easily transitions to a triplet state; this is consistent with split signals observed in the triplet state by EPR spectroscopy. Figure 4e shows the electron spin density plots of diradical dication 12·+. The plots clearly show spin density delocalized on two remote triarylamine subunits in the diradical dication 12·+, indicating that the two nitrogen atoms have lost their electrons. According to the calculation results, the distance between the centers of the two diradicals is consistent with the electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum. We used different methods to calculate the energy difference between the singlet and triplet states of diradical dication 12·+, as shown in Table 1. The calculation of (U)B3LYP level is closest to the experimental value.
To have a better understanding of the electronic structures of diradicals 22·+ and 32·+, we also performed DFT calculations on compound 22·+ and 32·+, the singlet and triplet states are optimized respectively at the level of (U)B3LYP/6-311g(d,p) (Figure 5). The spin density, highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) orbitals of 22·+ and 32·+ are concentrated near the two para triarylamine units and partially delocalized through the whole molecule. The 22·+ is stable as a tripet in the ground state (ΔEOS-T = 0.03 kcal mol−1), and 32·+ has a triplet ground state (ΔEOS-T = 0.26 kcal mol−1), which is in very good agreement with the experimental results. The spin densities in 22·+ and 32·+ indicate that the substituents affect the extent of diradical delocalization to control the ground states. Six alkyl groups in 3 show an electron donating inductive effect (+I), and the spin densities in 3 are mainly distributed among the hold rings. Substituents with different polarities lead to a change in the charge recombination free energy (ΔG), while the solvent reorganization energy (λ) remains constant. Those will affect the sign of the electron exchange interaction (J) value. Meanwhile, the J value is defined by the energy separation between singlet and triplet radical pairs (2J = EOS − ET). Therefore, substituents with different inductive effects (+I or −I) affect singlet–triplet energy ordering to determine what the ground state is by influencing the J value.

2.5. Magnetic Properties

To determine whether the dication 12·+ has a triplet excited state or a triplet ground state, we performed SQUID magnetometry of its bulk magnetic properties. A crystal of 12·+ was characterized using a superconducting quantum interferometer in the range of 2–300 K, and its ground state was determined (Figure 6). The molar paramagnetic susceptibility (χM) of 12·+ decreased gradually with decreasing temperature. The product of χM and temperature (χMT) for 12·+ was 0.92 emu∙K∙mol−1 at room temperature and slowly increased upon cooling, reaching a maximum of ~0.95 emu∙K∙mol−1 at 200 K. The increase in χMT from 300 to 200 K indicates a ferromagnetic interaction resulting from the intramolecular electron coupling between the two spin centers. The product χMT then gradually decreased as the temperature decreased further from 200 to 5 K and rapidly decreased below 5 K; χMT reached 0.63 emu∙K∙mol−1 at 2 K, indicating a weak antiferromagnetic interaction ascribed to intermolecular interactions. The antiferromagnetic interactions originating from intramolecular electron coupling confirm the singlet ground state of 12·+. The SQUID measurement results were fitted using the Bleaney–Bowers formula to obtain the energy difference between the OS and triplet states of 12·+. The energy difference was approximately 0.05 kcal/mol, consistent with the EPR spectroscopy results, further confirming that the ground state of 12·+ is an OS state that is easily thermally excited into a triplet state due to the small energy difference.
The SQUID data of 32·+•2[SbF6]− (Figure 6c) show that the product of molar paramagnetic susceptibility and temperature (χMT) was 0.98 emu mol−1 K−1 at room temperature. During the cooling process, the χMT value increased to its maximum value of approximately 1.02 emu mol−1 K−1). The increase in χMT as the temperature decreased from 300 to 100 K indicates a ferromagnetic interaction attributable to intramolecular electron coupling between the two spin centers. The value of χMT gradually decreased as the temperature was further lowered from 100 to 20 K and rapidly decreased below 20 K (0.80 emu K−1 mol−1 at 2 K), indicating a very weak antiferromagnetic interaction ascribed to intermolecular interactions. Compared with the trend in χMT observed for 32·+•2[SbF6]−, the χMT value of 22·+•2[SbF6]− (Figure 6b) showed a slightly larger drop-off at T > 100 K (~1.01 emu K−1 mol−1 at 100 K), indicating a weaker ferromagnetic interaction in 22·+ than in 32·+. However, the decrease in the χMT value of 22·+ as the temperature decreased below 100 K (0.75 emu K−1 mol−1 at 2 K) was greater than that for 32·+, indicating a stronger antiferromagnetic interaction in 22·+ than in 32·+. The diradical 22·+, which has methoxyl as the para-substituent of the terminal benzene ring, has strong singlet-state biradical properties and a lower ΔET-OS compared with 32·+ and is easily thermally excited into a triplet state. The results indicate that the ground state, optical, and magnetic properties of 12·+–32·+ can be regulated by adjusting the terminal substituents. The ground states of 12·+–32·+ are OS states that are easily thermally excited into triplet states.

2.6. Spectral Properties

The ultraviolet–visible (UV-Vis) spectra of the neutral compounds 1, 2, and 3 and the diradical dications 12·+•2[SbF6]−, 22·+•2[SbF6]−, and 32·+•2[SbF6]− are shown in Figure 7. The UV-Vis spectrum of 1 in CH2Cl2 shows a peak at 301 nm, which can be attributed to the π–π* transition in the benzene ring. The corresponding peaks are observed at 313 and 309 nm in the spectra of compounds 2 and 3, respectively. After oxidation, new peaks characteristic of radical cations appeared. After the oxidation of 1 into a diradical dication (12·+), two new peaks appeared at approximately 382 and 500 nm. Similar results were obtained for 22·+ and 32·+, with peaks appearing at 384 and 498 nm for 22·+ and at 387 and 492 nm for 32·+. The appearance of new peaks in the wavelength range of 400–500 nm corresponding to radical absorption in the spectra of 12·+, 22·+, and 32·+ further demonstrate the radical characteristics of these three compounds. The maximum absorption peak of 12·+, which appeared at 310 nm, was slightly redshifted compared with that of compound 1 (301 nm), indicating the dual radical characteristics of compound 12·+. Similarly, the maximum absorption peak was shifted from 313 nm in 2 to 322 nm in 22·+ and from 309 nm in 3 to 319 nm in 32·+. According to UV-Vis spectrum, the optical bandgaps of 12·+–32·+ were calculated to be 3.24 eV, 3.27 eV, and 3.29 eV (Eg = 1240/λonset), respectively. This is close to the HOMO-LUMO gap by DFT calculated, which are 3.83 eV, 3.93 eV, and 3.99 eV, respectively.
It is worth noting that in the UV visible absorption spectrum of 12·+–32·+, a wider near-infrared absorption peak around 900 nm can be observed, with a slight red shift compared to similar free radical absorption peaks previously reported (Figure 7c). The maximum absorption peak of compound 12·+ shows a significant red shift compared to the 301 nm maximum absorption peak of neutral compound 1, indicating the dual radical characteristics of compound 12·+. Similar conclusions can also be drawn from compounds 22·+ and 32·+. The maximum absorption peaks in the UV-vis absorption spectra of the 12·+–32·+ dications of three examples of diradicals are 907 nm, 905 nm, and 906 nm, respectively, located in the near-infrared region, which is also a characteristic manifestation of diradicals. Given the potential applications of compounds with near-infrared absorption peaks exceeding 1000 nm in optical communication devices, this type of hexaazacyclophane radicals may be a novel functional material.

3. Materials and Methods

In this experiment, the synthesis of air and water-sensitive compounds was carried out using Schlenk technology and a glove box in an inert atmosphere. The solvents used were all dried and degassed before use. Toluene was freshly distilled over Na/benzophenone and degassed three times (freeze-pump-thaw) before using. Dichloromethane was freshly distilled with CaH2 and degassed three times before using. Commercially available chemicals were all purchased from Energy Chemical Co., Ltd. (Shanghai, China), while hexaazacyclophanes compounds 1–3 were synthesized by similar methods according to the literature. The commercially available chemicals were all from Energy Chemical Co., Ltd. The FA2005 electronic analytical balance is used for drug weighing. The electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum was obtained using the Bruker EMX plus-6/1 variable temperature X-band instrument and simulated using WINEPR SimFonia software 2.0.0.3. The magnetic property was measured using a MPMS-XL7 SQUID with a field of 0.1 T on a sample prepared in a glove box. The UV-Vis spectrum was recorded on the Lambds 750 spectrometer. The cyclic voltammetry was performed in the glove box of the CHI661E electrochemical workstation, with Ag/AgNO3 as the reference and platinum as the working electrode. Element analyses of 12·+[SbF6]−, 22·+[SbF6]− and 32·+[SbF6]− were performed at University of Science and Technology of China. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) was performed on a silica gel plate (HSGF 255) and column chromatography was performed on 300–400 mesh silica gel for product separation. 13C NMR and 1H NMR (400 MHz) were recorded on the Bruker Avance 400 instrument using CDCl3 or C6D6 as solvents. The 1H NMR spectral resonance of TMS was specified to be 0.00 ppm, and the chemical shift was expressed in ppm. The 13C spectral resonance of CDCl3 was 77.0 ppm, while the 13C spectral resonance of C6D6 was 128.0 ppm.
All DFT calculations have been carried out by Gaussian 16 software. The (U)B3LYP functional was adopted for all calculations [36]. For geometry optimization calculations, the 6-31G(d) basis set was used, and the optimal geometry for each compound was determined. The singlet point energy calculations were performed with a larger basis set 6-311G(d,p) basis set [37]. The broken-symmetry spin-unrestricted approach was used for open-shell singlet calculations and all the wavefunctions were stable under the perturbations considered. The DFT-D3 dispersion correction with BJ-damping was applied to correct the weak interaction to improve the calculation accuracy [38]. The SMD implicit solvation model was used to account for the solvation effect [39]. Orbital energy level analysis and Electron spin density analysis were performed by Multiwfn 3.7 package.

4. Experiment

4.1. Synthesis of Netural Compounds

4.1.1. Synthesis of A–C

  • N,N′-bis(3-bromophenyl)-N,N′-bis(4-methylphenyl)benzene-1,3-diamine A
In a glove box, N,N′-bis(4-methylphenyl)benzene-1,3-diamine (2.0 g, 7 mmol), 1,4-dibromobenzene (16.5 g, 70 mmol), Pd(OAc)2 (63 mg, 0.28 mmol, 0.04 equiv), DPPF (310 mg, 0.56 mmol, 0.08 equiv), and sodium tert-butoxide (2.0 g, 21 mmol, 3 equiv) were combined in a 250-mL Schlenk tube. After the addition of 70 mL toluene, the resulting mixture was stirred at 110 °C for 24 h. The crude product was treated with saturated ammonium chloride and extracted with CH2Cl2. The combined organic phase was washed with brine and dried over Na2SO4. The solvent was rotary evaporation. The unreacted 1,4-dibromobenzene was removed under vacuum by Kugelrohr distillation. The residue was purified by chromatography using petroleum ether to give 2.0 g (48%) of A as an off-white solid. 1H NMR (400 MHz, C6D6): δ 2.32 (s, 6H, CH3), 6.68 (d, 3J(H, H) = 8.1 Hz, 2.2 Hz, 2H, Ar-H), 6.76 (d, 3J(H,H) = 8.9 Hz, 4H, Ar-H), 6.88 (t, 3J(H, H) = 8.1 Hz, 1H, Ar-H), 6.96 (s, 1H, Ar-H), 7.02 (d, 3J(H, H) = 8.7 Hz, 4H, Ar-H), 7.10 (d, 3J(H, H) = 8.9 Hz, 4H, Ar-H), 7.14 (s, 4H, Ar-H). 13C NMR: (125 MHz, C6D6) δ 21.32, 115.17, 117.90, 118.95, 125.02, 125.50, 126.66, 130.40, 132.46, 144.83, 146.77, 147.07, 148.94.
  • N,N′-bis(3-bromophenyl)-N,N′-bis(4-methoxylphenyl)benzene-1,3-diamine B
In a glove box, N,N′-bis(4-methoxylphenyl)benzene-1,3-diamine (2.2 g, 7 mmol), 1,4-dibromobenzene (16.5 g, 70 mmol), Pd(OAc)2 (63 mg, 0.28 mmol, 0.04 equiv), DPPF (310 mg, 0.56 mmol, 0.08 equiv), and sodium tert-butoxide (2.0 g, 21 mmol, 3 equiv) were combined in a 250 mL Schlenk tube. After the addition of 70 mL toluene, the resulting mixture was stirred at 110 °C for 24 h. The crude product was treated with saturated ammonium chloride and extracted with CH2Cl2. The combined organic phase was washed with brine and dried over Na2SO4. The solvent was rotary evaporation. The unreacted 1,4-dibromobenzene was removed under vacuum by Kugelrohr distillation. The residue was purified by chromatography using petroleum ether to give 2.0 g (46%) of B as an off-white solid. 1H NMR (400 MHz, C6D6): δ 3.81 (s, 6H, OCH3), 6.68 (d, 3J(H, H) = 8.1 Hz, 2.2 Hz, 2H, Ar-H), 6.76 (d, 3J(H,H) = 8.9 Hz, 4H, Ar-H), 6.88 (t, 3J(H, H) = 8.1 Hz, 1H, Ar-H), 6.96 (s, 1H, Ar-H), 7.02 (d, 3J(H, H) = 8.7 Hz, 4H, Ar-H), 7.10 (d, 3J(H, H) = 8.9 Hz, 4H, Ar-H), 7.14 (s, 4H, Ar-H). 13C NMR (125 MHz, C6D6): δ 55.80, 115.17, 117.90, 118.95, 125.02, 125.50, 126.66, 130.40, 132.46, 144.83, 146.77, 147.07, 148.94.
  • N,N′-bis(3-bromophenyl)-N,N′-bis(4-tert-butylphenyl)benzene-1,3-diamine C
In a glove box, N,N′-bis(4-tert-butylphenyl)benzene-1,3-diamine (2.6 g, 7 mmol), 1,4-dibromobenzene (16.5 g, 70 mmol), Pd(OAc)2 (63 mg, 0.28 mmol, 0.04 equiv), DPPF (310 mg, 0.56 mmol, 0.08 equiv), and sodium tert-butoxide (2.0 g, 21 mmol, 3 equiv) were combined in a 250-mL Schlenk tube. After the addition of 70 mL toluene, the resulting mixture was stirred at 110 °C for 24 h. The crude product was treated with saturated ammonium chloride and extracted with CH2Cl2. The combined organic phase was washed with brine and dried over Na2SO4. The solvent was rotary evaporation. The unreacted 1,4-dibromobenzene was removed under vacuum by Kugelrohr distillation. The residue was purified by chromatography using petroleum ether to give 2.4 g (51%) of C as an off-white solid. 1H NMR (400 MHz, C6D6): δ 1.21 (s, 18H, (CH3)3C), 6.68 (d, 3J(H, H) = 8.1 Hz, 2.2 Hz, 2H, Ar-H), 6.76 (d, 3J(H,H) = 8.9 Hz, 4H, Ar-H), 6.88 (t, 3J(H, H) = 8.1 Hz, 1H, Ar-H), 6.96 (s, 1H, Ar-H), 7.02 (d, 3J(H, H) = 8.7 Hz, 4H, Ar-H), 7.10 (d, 3J(H, H) = 8.9 Hz, 4H, Ar-H), 7.14 (s, 4H, Ar-H). 13C NMR (125 MHz, C6D6): δ 31.51, 34.35, 115.17, 117.90, 118.95, 125.02, 125.50, 126.66, 130.40, 132.46, 144.83, 146.77, 147.07, 148.94.

4.1.2. Synthesis of Netural Hexaazacyclophanes (1–3)

  • 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexakis(4-methylphenyl)-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaaza-1,3,5,7,9,11(1,3)-hexabenzenacyclododecaphane 1
Diamine A (2.5 mmol), 2.5 mmol p-methylaniline, 0.125 mmol Pd(OAc)2, 0.1 mmol tBu3P, and 7.5 mmol tBuONa were added to a sealed reaction vessel and dried to 300 mL. After adding 60 mL of toluene, the mixture was gradually heated to 80 °C, held at this temperature for 24 h, and then allowed to cool to room temperature. The solution was transferred to a Schlenk flask, and the toluene solvent was drained. The product was dissolved with ethyl acetate, extracted with saturated salt water, filtered, purified with silica gel, and finally eluted using 50:1 petroleum ether: ethyl acetate to obtain a yellow-brown solid (720 mg, 44%). 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): δ 7.07–6.90 (m, 31H), 6.78 (s, 6H), 6.44 (dd, J = 8.1, 2.1 Hz, 11H), 2.28 (s, 18H).13C NMR (100 MHz, CDCl3): δ 148.20, 144.94, 133.18, 129.95, 129.25, 126.26, 117.42, 116.18, 21.00. 12·+·2[SbF6]− Elemental analysis calculated for C78H66F12N6Sb2 (%): C 60.10, H 4.27, N 5.39; found: C 60.52, H 4.47, N 5.78.
  • 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexakis(4-methoxyphenyl)-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaaza-1,3,5,7,9,11(1,3)-hexabenzenacyclododecaphane 2
Into a closed reaction vessel was placed 3 mmol B, 3 mmol p-methoxyaniline, 0.15 mmol Pd(OAc)2, 0.12 mmol tBu3P, and 9 mmol tBuONa followed by drying to 300 mL. After adding 70 mL of toluene, the mixture was heated to 80 °C, held at this temperature for 24 h, and then allowed to cool to room temperature. The solution was transferred to a Schlenk flask, and the toluene solvent was drained. The product was dissolved with ethyl acetate, extracted with salt water, dried, filtered, purified using silica gel, and eluted using 50:1 petroleum ether: ethyl acetate. After spin-drying, a yellow-brown solid (840 mg, 47%) was obtained. 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): δ 7.04–6.89 (m, 12H), 6.74 (d, J = 7.6 Hz, 25H), 6.44 (dd, J = 8.1, 2.1 Hz, 11H), 3.77 (s, 18H). 13C NMR (100 MHz, CDCl3) δ 156.33, 148.33, 140.50, 129.24, 128.19, 116.43, 115.43, 114.73, 55.51. 22·+·2[SbF6]− Elemental analysis calculated for C78H66F12N6O6Sb2 (%): C 56.61, H 4.02, N 5.08; found: C 56.82, H 4.23, N 5.21.
  • 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexakis(4-tbutylphenyl)-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaaza-1,3,5,7,9,11(1,3)-hexabenzenacyclododecaphane 3
Into a sealed glass reaction container was placed 3 mmol C, 3 mmol p-tbutylaniline, 0.15 mmol Pd(OAc)2, 0.12 mmol tBu3P, and 9 mmol tBuONa followed by drying to 300 mL. After adding 70 mL of toluene, the mixture was heated to 80 °C, held at this temperature for 24 h, and then allowed to cool to room temperature. The sealed reaction bottle was removed from the oil bath and allowed to cool to room temperature. The reaction solution was then transferred to a Schlenk bottle, and the toluene solvent was drained. After washing with distilled water, the product was dissolved in ethyl acetate, extracted with saturated salt water, dried with anhydrous sodium sulfate, filtered, purified using silica gel, and eluted using 60:1 petroleum ether: ethyl acetate to obtain a yellow-brown solid (850 mg, 43%). 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): δ 7.28 (s, 4H), 7.21–7.14 (m, 14H), 6.98 (d, J = 7.8 Hz, 11H), 6.87 (dd, J = 5.9, 2.0 Hz, 16H), 1.33 (s, 54H). 13C NMR (100 MHz, CDCl3): δ 149.48, 141.50, 141.14, 125.75, 124.71, 122.24, 121.42, 119.02, 34.61, 31.20. 32·+·2[SbF6]− Elemental analysis calculated for C96H102F12N6Sb2 (%): C 63.65, H 5.68, N 4.64; found: C 64.05, H 5.76, N 4.71.

4.2. Synthesis of Hexaazacyclophane Diradical Dications 12·+•2[SbF6]−, 22·+•2[SbF6]−, and 32·+•2[SbF6]−

  • Synthesis of 12·+•2[SbF6]−
In a glove box, 54.36 mg of the hexaazacyclophanes neutral compound 1 was accurately weighed and added with 34.36 mg AgSbF6 in a 50-mL Schlenk flask. After adding 25 mL CH2Cl2, the reaction solution was stirred overnight at room temperature to obtain a dark yellow solution. The silver precipitates attached to the bottle wall were removed by filtration, and the filtrate was concentrated and stored at −20 °C for 24 h for testing (46 mg, 69%).
  • Synthesis of 22·+•2[SbF6]−
To a 50-mL Schlenk flask, 59.12 mg 2 and 34.36 mg AgSbF6 were added. After the addition of 25 mL CH2Cl2, the reaction solution was stirred overnight at room temperature to obtain a dark yellow-brown solution. The silver precipitates attached to the bottle wall were removed by filtration, and the filtrate was concentrated and stored at −20 °C for 24 h to further testing (48 mg, 68%).
  • Synthesis of 32·+•2[SbF6]−
To a 50-mL Schlenk flask, 66.99 mg 3 and 34.36 mg AgSbF6 were added. After the addition of 25 mL CH2Cl2, the reaction solution was stirred overnight at room temperature to obtain a deep yellow-brown solution. The silver precipitates attached to the bottle wall were removed by filtration, and the filtrate was concentrated and stored at −20 °C for 24 h to further testing (50 mg, 46%).

5. Conclusions

First, we synthesized a series of hexaazacyclophanes (1, 2, and 3) containing different substituents (Me, MeO, and tBu, respectively) in the para-position of the phenyl group and investigated the redox properties of these hexaazacyclophanes. Subsequently, the double oxidation of 1, 2, and 3 was carried out using AgSbF6 as an oxidant to prepare 12·+•2[SbF6]−, 22·+•2[SbF6]−, and 32·+•2[SbF6]−, respectively. EPR spectroscopic analysis indicated that the two single electrons in 12·+•2[SbF6]−, 22·+•2[SbF6]−, and 32·+•2[SbF6]− are located on the nitrogen atoms. DFT calculations and SQUID magnetometry indicated that the ground state of the hexaazacyclophane diradical dication 12·+•2[SbF6]− is an OS state; however, because the energy difference between the OS and triplet states is only 0.051 kcal/mol, the OS state easily transitions into a triplet state. This is consistent with the split signals observed in the EPR spectrum of the triplet state.
The diradical characteristics, spectral properties, and magnetic properties of 12·+–32·+ are all affected by the para-substituent of the terminal benzene ring. These effects are achieved through the spatial hindrance of benzene rings in the bridging skeleton. The strong steric hindrance of the tert-butyl group not only enhances its stability by delocalizing the positrons of dications and diradicals, it also reduces the electronic interactions between diradical molecules, which is conducive to the formation of independent diradical molecules. Methoxy groups have a strong electron-donating ability and can thus increase the electron density of the phenyl group connected to nitrogen atoms, thereby changing the coupling strength of two single electrons. The steric hindrance of methyl substituents is small, and their electron-donating ability is beneficial for increasing intermolecular coupling. The findings enrich our understanding of nitrogen heterocyclic radicals and are expected to facilitate further exploration of their potential applications in conductive, organic spintronic, and magnetic materials. Importantly, the diradical species are not sensitive to air, making them valuable as functional materials for practical applications.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, S.L. and J.C.; methodology, S.L.; software, S.L.; validation, J.C.; formal analysis, S.L. and J.C.; investigation, S.L.; data curation, S.L. and J.C.; writing—original draft preparation, S.L.; writing—review and editing, J.C.; visualization, S.L; supervision, S.L. and J.C.; project administration, S.L.; funding acquisition, J.C. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research was funded by the Department of Science and Technology of Anhui Province, grant number (591604).

Institutional Review Board Statement

Not applicable.

Informed Consent Statement

Not applicable.

Data Availability Statement

Data are contained within the article.

Acknowledgments

We appreciate the support of the Key Laboratory of Functional Molecular Solids of the Ministry of Education for this study.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Molecules 29 00789 g001
Figure 1. Various structural types of cyclic compounds.
Figure 1. Various structural types of cyclic compounds.
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Molecules 29 00789 sch001
Scheme 1. Synthesis of neutral hexaazacyclophane compounds 1–3.
Scheme 1. Synthesis of neutral hexaazacyclophane compounds 1–3.
Molecules 29 00789 sch001
Molecules 29 00789 sch002
Scheme 2. Synthesis of hexaazacyclophane diradical dications 12·+•2[SbF6]−, 22·+•2[SbF6]−, and 32·+•2[SbF6]−.
Scheme 2. Synthesis of hexaazacyclophane diradical dications 12·+•2[SbF6]−, 22·+•2[SbF6]−, and 32·+•2[SbF6]−.
Molecules 29 00789 sch002
Molecules 29 00789 g002
Figure 2. Cyclic voltammetry curve of 1 in CH2Cl2.
Figure 2. Cyclic voltammetry curve of 1 in CH2Cl2.
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Figure 3. (a) EPR spectrum of 12·+•2[SbF6]− in frozen CH2Cl2 solution at 90 K. (b) EPR spectrum of 22·+•2[SbF6]− in frozen CH2Cl2 solution at 90 K. (c) EPR spectrum of 32·+•2[SbF6]− in frozen CH2Cl2 solution at 90 K.
Figure 3. (a) EPR spectrum of 12·+•2[SbF6]− in frozen CH2Cl2 solution at 90 K. (b) EPR spectrum of 22·+•2[SbF6]− in frozen CH2Cl2 solution at 90 K. (c) EPR spectrum of 32·+•2[SbF6]− in frozen CH2Cl2 solution at 90 K.
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Molecules 29 00789 g004
Figure 4. The HOMO (a) and LUMO (b) of 1 calculated at the (U)B3LYP/6-311g(d,p) level. The HOMO of 12·+ (OS) (c) and LUMO of 12·+ (d) calculated at the (U)B3LYP/6-311g(d,p) level. (e) Spin density map of 12·+ calculated at the (U)B3LYP/6-311g(d,p) level.
Figure 4. The HOMO (a) and LUMO (b) of 1 calculated at the (U)B3LYP/6-311g(d,p) level. The HOMO of 12·+ (OS) (c) and LUMO of 12·+ (d) calculated at the (U)B3LYP/6-311g(d,p) level. (e) Spin density map of 12·+ calculated at the (U)B3LYP/6-311g(d,p) level.
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Figure 5. (a) The HOMO and LUMO of 22·+ calculated at the (U)B3LYP/6-311g(d,p) level. (b) Optimized structure and spin density distribution of the singlet and triplet of 2 with their energy gap (ΔEOS-T) at the (U)B3LYP/6-311g(d,p) level. (c) The HOMO and LUMO of 32·+ calculated at the (U)B3LYP/6-311g(d,p) level.
Figure 5. (a) The HOMO and LUMO of 22·+ calculated at the (U)B3LYP/6-311g(d,p) level. (b) Optimized structure and spin density distribution of the singlet and triplet of 2 with their energy gap (ΔEOS-T) at the (U)B3LYP/6-311g(d,p) level. (c) The HOMO and LUMO of 32·+ calculated at the (U)B3LYP/6-311g(d,p) level.
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Figure 6. Plot of χMT vs. T for the powders of 12·+ (a), 22·+ (b), and 32·+ (c) derived from SQUID measurements and the corresponding fitting curves based on the Bleaney–Bowers equation.
Figure 6. Plot of χMT vs. T for the powders of 12·+ (a), 22·+ (b), and 32·+ (c) derived from SQUID measurements and the corresponding fitting curves based on the Bleaney–Bowers equation.
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Molecules 29 00789 g007
Figure 7. UV-Vis absorption spectra of (a) the neutral compounds 1, 2, and 3 and (b) the diradical dications 12·+•2[SbF6]−, 22·+•2[SbF6]−, and 32·+•2[SbF6]− in CH2Cl2 (1 × 10−4 M) at 298 K. (c) UV-Vis absorption spectra of the diradical dications 12·+•2[SbF6]−, 22·+•2[SbF6]−, and 32·+•2[SbF6]− in CH2Cl2 (1 × 10−4 M) at 298 K (λ > 600 nm).
Figure 7. UV-Vis absorption spectra of (a) the neutral compounds 1, 2, and 3 and (b) the diradical dications 12·+•2[SbF6]−, 22·+•2[SbF6]−, and 32·+•2[SbF6]− in CH2Cl2 (1 × 10−4 M) at 298 K. (c) UV-Vis absorption spectra of the diradical dications 12·+•2[SbF6]−, 22·+•2[SbF6]−, and 32·+•2[SbF6]− in CH2Cl2 (1 × 10−4 M) at 298 K (λ > 600 nm).
Molecules 29 00789 g007
Table 1. Energy difference between singlet and triplet states at different calculation levels.
Table 1. Energy difference between singlet and triplet states at different calculation levels.
FunctionalBasis SetET (a.u.)EOS (a.u.)EOS-T (kcal/mol)
(U)B3LYP6-311g(d,p)−3341.510047−3341.510127−0.050
PBE06-311g(d,p)−3337.352538−3337.352645−0.067
CAM-B3LYP6-311g(d,p)−3339.404973−3339.405091−0.074
M062X6-311g(d,p)−3339.724699−3339.724759−0.038
wB97xD6-311g(d,p)−3339.977570−3339.9775210.031
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Li, S.; Chen, J. RETRACTED: Synthesis and Properties of Novel Alkyl-Substituted Hexaazacyclophanes and Their Diradical Dications. Molecules 2024, 29, 789. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29040789

AMA Style

Li S, Chen J. RETRACTED: Synthesis and Properties of Novel Alkyl-Substituted Hexaazacyclophanes and Their Diradical Dications. Molecules. 2024; 29(4):789. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29040789

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Li, Shunjie, and Jian Chen. 2024. "RETRACTED: Synthesis and Properties of Novel Alkyl-Substituted Hexaazacyclophanes and Their Diradical Dications" Molecules 29, no. 4: 789. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29040789

APA Style

Li, S., & Chen, J. (2024). RETRACTED: Synthesis and Properties of Novel Alkyl-Substituted Hexaazacyclophanes and Their Diradical Dications. Molecules, 29(4), 789. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29040789

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