A series of oxahelicenes composed of ortho/meta-annulated benzene/pyridine and 2H-pyran rings were synthesized on the basis of the cobalt(I)-mediated (or rhodium(I)- or nickel(0)-mediated) double, triple, or quadruple [2+2+2] cycloisomerization of branched aromatic hexa-, nona-, or dodecaynes, thus allowing the construction of 6, 9, or 12 rings in a single operation. The use of a flow reactor was found to be beneficial for the multicyclization reactions. The stereogenic centers present in some of the oligoynes steered the helical folding in such a way that the final oxa[9]-, [13]-, [17]- and [19]helicenes were obtained in both enantiomerically and diastereomerically pure form. Specifically, the oxa[19]helicenes beat the current record in the length of a helicene backbone. Single-molecule conductivity was studied by the mechanically controllable break-junction method with a pyridooxa[9]helicene.

Department of Physics CTU Prague Faculty of Electrical Engineering Technická 2 16627 Prague 6 Czech Republic

Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry Czech Academy of Sciences Flemingovo nám 2 16610 Prague 6 Czech Republic

References provided by Crossref.org

Stereocontrolled Synthesis of Chiral Helicene-Indenido ansa- and Half-Sandwich Metal Complexes and Their Use in Catalysis

Cyclotrimerization Approach to Symmetric [9]Helical Indenofluorenes: Diverting Cyclization Pathways