Chiral Spiro‐Tetrathiafulvalenes: Synthesis, Chiroptical Properties, Conformational Issues and Charge Transfer Complexes

Abstract

AbstractWithin this work we have investigated spiro‐based tetrathiafulvalenes (TTFs) obtained as mixtures of stereoisomers from racemic spiro[5.5]undeca‐1,8‐dien‐3‐one. Compared to previously described spiro‐TTFs, enantiomeric and diastereoisomeric forms have been here separated by chiral HPLC and fully characterized both experimentally and theoretically. The two types of spiro‐based chiral derivatives contain either one (2) or three (1) chiral centres out of each one is spiro‐type. Experimental CD, supported by TD‐DFT calculations, shows differences in the optical activity between the 1 and 2 and their intermediates. The low optical activity of 2 and 3 (spiro alone chirality) was attributed to the presence of two conformers in the solution (ax and eq) of opposite Cotton effect whereas in the case of 1 and 5 (spiro and stereogenic centres) the spiro chirality seems to be responsible of the Cotton effect in the high energy region whereas the R and S chirality in the low energy region. Racemic and enantiopure forms have been successfully used for the synthesis of charge transfer complexes with tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) based acceptors.