Let the Best Ring Win: Selective Macrocycle Formation through Pd-Catalyzed or Cu-Mediated Alkyne Homocoupling

摘要

There is considerable interest in highly conjugated organic molecules such as phenylacetylenes and dehydroannulenes for potential applications in next generation electronic and photonic devices. Such extended p-conjugated systems functionalized with electron donor and/or acceptor groups encompass a significant field of current research. In our ongoing studies with dehydrobenzoannulenes (DBAs), we have produced macrocycles with a variety of ring topologies, symmetries, and sizes, as well as unique substitutions of donor, acceptor, and neutral groups.