The intrinsic relationship between helicenes and circulenes is of fundamental interest and importance in molecular engineering. Herein, electrophilic borylation of phenanthroline-derived aza [5]helicenes is presented, resulting in the incorporation of a boryl unit into two termini of helicenes to afford quasi-[7]circulenes. Their bowl-shaped structures were determined by X-ray diffraction. UV−vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, as well as electrochemical measurements and DFT calculations, gave insight into their electronic properties. Variable-temperature NMR studies and DFT calculations revealed bowl-to-bowl inversion at room temperature and bowl-to-helix equilibria at elevated temperature, highlighting the important role of B ← N bond strength in tuning their dynamic properties.

We report the concise synthesis and chir-(optical) properties of an azaborathia[9]helicene consisting of two thienoazaborole motifs. The key intermediate, a highly congested teraryl with nearly parallel isoquinoline moieties, was generated as a mixture of atropisomers upon fusion of the central thiophene ring of the dithienothiophene moiety. These diastereomers were characterized by single crystal X-ray analysis revealing intriguing interactions in the solid state. Subsequent insertion of boron into the aromatic scaffold via silicon-boron exchange involving triisopropylsilyl groups fixed the helical geometry, thereby establishing a novel method for the preparation of azaboroles. The ligand exchange at boron in the final step afforded the blue emitter displaying a fluorescence quantum yield of 0.17 in CH 2 Cl 2 and excellent configurational stability. Detailed structural and theoretical investigation of unusual atropisomers and the helicene provide insights into their isomerization processes.

We report the concise synthesis and chir-(optical) properties of an azaborathia[9]helicene consisting of two thienoazaborole motifs. The key intermediate, a highly congested teraryl with nearly parallel isoquinoline moieties, was generated as a mixture of atropisomers upon fusion of the central thiophene ring of the dithienothiophene moiety. These diastereomers were characterized by single crystal X-ray analysis revealing intriguing interactions in the solid state. Subsequent insertion of boron into the aromatic scaffold via silicon-boron exchange involving triisopropylsilyl groups fixed the helical geometry, thereby establishing a novel method for the preparation of azaboroles. The ligand exchange at boron in the final step afforded the blue emitter displaying a fluorescence quantum yield of 0.17 in CH 2 Cl 2 and excellent configurational stability. Detailed structural and theoretical investigation of unusual atropisomers and the helicene provide insights into their isomerization processes.