Anti-aromatic compounds, as well as small cyclic alkynes or carbynes, are particularly challenging synthetic goals. The combination of their destabilizing features hinders attempts to prepare molecules such as pentalyne, an 8π-electron anti-aromatic bicycle with extremely high ring strain. Here we describe the facile synthesis of osmapentalyne derivatives that are thermally viable, despite containing the smallest angles observed so far at a carbyne carbon. The compounds are characterized using X-ray crystallography, and their computed energies and magnetic properties reveal aromatic character. Hence, the incorporation of the osmium centre not only reduces the ring strain of the parent pentalyne, but also converts its Hückel anti-aromaticity into Craig-type Möbius aromaticity in the metallapentalynes. The concept of aromaticity is thus extended to five-membered rings containing a metal-carbon triple bond. Moreover, these metal-aromatic compounds exhibit unusual optical effects such as near-infrared photoluminescence with particularly large Stokes shifts, long lifetimes and aggregation enhancement.

In this paper, the trans influence of boryl ligands, together with that of other ligands commonly believed to have a strong trans influence, has been investigated theoretically via density functional theory (DFT) calculations on a series of square-planar platinum(II) complexes of the form trans-[PtL(Cl)(PMe3)2]. The following order of trans influence has been obtained: -BMe2>-SiMe3>-BH2>-SnMe3 approximately >-Bpin>> approximately -Bcat approximately -BCl2 approximately -BBr2 approximately -SiH3>-CH2CH3>-CH=CH2>-H approximately -Me>-C6H5>-SiCl3>-SnCl3>-CCH. Natural bond order analyses have been used to understand how the substituents at the boron center affect the trans-influence properties of the boryl ligands. The major factor is the sigma-donor strength of the boryl ligand. However, surprisingly, very strong pi acceptors also enhance the trans influence.

Aromaticity, a highly stabilizing feature of molecules with delocalized electrons in closed circuits, is generally restricted to 'Hückel' systems with 4n þ 2 mobile electrons. Although the Möbius concept extends the principle of aromaticity to 4n mobile electron species, the rare known examples have complex, twisted topologies whose extension is unlikely. Here we report the realization of osmapentalenes, the first planar Möbius aromatic complexes with 16 and 18 valence electron transition metals. The Möbius aromaticity of these osmapentalenes, documented by X-ray structural, magnetic and theoretical analyses, demonstrates the basis of the aromaticity of the parent osmapentalynes. All these osmapentalenes are formed by both electrophilic and nucleophilic reactions of the in-plane p component of the same carbyne carbon, illustrating ambiphilic carbyne reactivity, which is seldom observed in transition metal chemistry. Our results widen the scope of Möbius aromaticity dramatically and open prospects for the generalization of planar Möbius aromatic chemistry.

Singlet fission (SF) materials hold the potential to increase the power conversion efficiency of solar cells by reducing the thermalization of high-energy excited states. The major hurdle in realizing this potential is the limited scope of SF-active materials with high fission efficiency, suitable energy levels, and sufficient chemical stability. Herein, using theoretical calculation and time-resolved spectroscopy, we developed a highly stable SF material based on dipyrrolonaphthyridinedione (DPND), a pyrrolefused cross-conjugated skeleton with a distinctive adaptive aromaticity (dual aromaticity) character. The embedded pyrrole ring with 4n+2 π-electron features aromaticity in the ground state, while the dipole resonance of the amide bonds promotes a 4n π-electron Baird's aromaticity in the triplet state. Such an adaptive aromaticity renders the molecule efficient for the SF process [E(S 1 ) ≥ 2E(T 1 )] without compromising its stability. Up to 173% triplet yield, strong blue-green light absorption, and suitable triplet energy of 1.2 eV, as well as excellent stability, make DPND a promising SF sensitizer toward practical applications.

The nonplanarity found in metallabenzene complexes has been investigated theoretically via density functional theory (DFT) calculations. A metallabenzene has four occupied π molecular orbitals (8 π electrons) instead of three that benzene has. Our electronic structure analyses show that the extra occupied π molecular orbital, which is the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) in many metallabenzenes, has antibonding interactions between the metal center and the metal-bonded ring-carbon atoms, providing the electronic driving force toward nonplanarity. Calculations indicate that the electronic driving force toward nonplanarity, however, is relatively small. Therefore, other factors such as steric effects also play important roles in determining the planarity of these metallabenzene complexes. In this paper, how the various electronic and steric factors interplay has been discussed.

Planar Möbius aromatic metallacycles show NIR absorption spectrum and the highest carbon coordination number for a metal atom.

Palladium-catalyzed terminal alkyne dimerization, through oxidative homocoupling, is a useful approach to the synthesis of symmetrical 1,4-diynes. Recent investigations have suggested that this reaction might be accomplished in the absence of intentionally added stoichiometric oxidants (to reoxidize Pd(0) to Pd(II)). In this paper, we have fully addressed the question of whether oxygen (or added oxidant) is required to facilitate this process. The presence of a stoichiometric quantity of air (or added oxidant such as I2) is essential for alkyne dimerization. Excess PPh3 inhibits alkyne dimerization to enyne, which only occurs to a significant extent when the reaction is starved of oxidant. Theoretical studies shed more light on the requirement for an oxidant in the homocoupling reaction in order for the process to be theromodynamically favorable. The employment of I2 as the stoichiometric oxidant appears to be the method of choice. The dual role of Cu both in transmetalation of alkynyl units to Pd(II) and in assisting reoxidation of Pd(0) to Pd(II) is suggested.

The many manifestations of aromaticity have long fascinated both experimentalists and theoreticians. Due to their degenerate half-filled MOs, triplet [n]annulenes with 4n π-electrons are also aromatic, but the degree of their stabilization has been difficult to quantify. The isomerization stabilization energy (ISE) method has been applied to evaluate the triplet aromaticity. The reliability of this approach is indicated by the strong correlation of the ISE results with NICS(1)zz, a magnetic indicator of triplet state aromaticity.