Recent advances in subphthalocyanines and related subporphyrinoids

Subporphyrinoids constitute a class of extremely versatile and attractive compounds. Herein, a comprehensive review of the most recent advances in the fundamentals and applications of these cone-shaped aromatic macrocycles is presented.

tert-Butyl substituted hexaazasubphthalocyanine: Synthesis, isolation of C1 and C3 regioisomers and their spectral-luminescence study

By cyclotrimerization of tert-butyl substituted pyrazine-2,3-dicarbonitrile in the presence of boron trichloride, two positional isomers ([Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] symmetry) of the corresponding boron(III) tripyrazinosubporphyrazines were first obtained and efficiently separated by column chromatography. The new compounds were characterized by MALDI mass-spectrometry, UV-visible and 1H NMR spectroscopy. A Q-band in the electronic absorption spectra for both fractions was observed at [Formula: see text]530 nm, which is typical for tripyrazinosubporphyrazines. The fluorescence quantum yield for the regioisomer with lower symmetry ([Formula: see text] is 1.5 times higher than for the more symmerical [Formula: see text] species ([Formula: see text] = 0.37 and 0.28, respectively). Comparative spectrophotometric study of the basic properies reveals that hexaaza substitution in benzene rings of tert-butyl substituted subphthalocyanine decreases the basic properties of meso-nitrogen atoms.

Expanding the Subporphyrazine Chromophore by Conjugation of Phenylene and Vinylene Substituents: Rainbow SubPzs

The efficiency of the vinylene moiety as a linker to intercommunicate the subporphyrazine (SubPz) core with other chromophores and redox active systems has been examined. In addition, different substitution patterns for hexaarylated SubPzs have been explored in order to control the absorption, fluorescence, and redox properties independently of one another. Besides X-ray crystallography, complete spectroscopic and electrochemical characterizations have been performed, and the conclusions have been supported by density functional theory calculations. The absorption and emission profiles, as well as the organization of the macrocycles in the crystalline state, are strongly determined by the substitution pattern. Within the hexaarylated family, para-substitution with electron-rich moieties (i.e., phenylene or ether) red-shifts both the SubPz absorption and emission bands. Progressive fading of these effects upon extending the oligophenylene branches from one to three units evidences the less efficient electronic delocalization over the phenyl ends as the oligophenylene branch is enlarged. Contrasting, meta-substitution produces little variation or blue shift of the SubPz Q-band, while bathochromic shifts are always observed for the emission bands. In hexavinylene-SubPzs, peripheral vinylene moieties adopt a coplanar configuration with the aromatic SubPz core, resulting in a π-extended chromophore that preserves the unique electronic tunability of SubPzs. This is reflected by the strong alteration of the SubPz electronic properties produced by phenyl and biphenyl moieties attached to the vinylene ends.