Effect of NO2 substitution and solvent on UV-visible spectra, redox potentials and electron transfer mechanisms of copper β-nitrotriarylcorroles. Proposed electrogeneration of a Cu(I) oxidation state

Abstract

Three copper triarylcorroles containing a [Formula: see text]-pyrrole nitro substituent were synthesized and characterized as to their spectral and electrochemical properties in nonaqueous media. The examined compounds are represented as [Formula: see text]-NO2(YPh)3CorCu, where Cor is the trianion of a triphenylcorrole and Y is a Cl, H or CH3 substituent at the para-position of the three meso-phenyl rings of the compound. The data from absorption spectra, electrochemistry and thin-layer spectroelectrochemistry are consistent with an initial assignment of Cu[Formula: see text]-Cor[Formula: see text] in CH2Cl2, DMF and pyridine and electrogeneration of a formal Cu(II) corrole with an unreduced macrocycle, represented as Cu[Formula: see text]-Cor[Formula: see text], after the first one-electron reduction in these solvents. The doubly reduced [Formula: see text]-nitrocorrole has a sharp Soret band at 439 nm and a well-defined Q-band at 611 nm in CH2Cl2. Similar absorption spectra are seen for the three examined doubly reduced nitrocorroles in DMF and pyridine, suggesting formation of a Cu(I) species with an unreduced macrocycle which is represented as Cu[Formula: see text]-Cor[Formula: see text]. Changes in redox potentials and absorption spectra of the nitrocorroles are examined as a function of solvent and substituents on the meso-phenyl rings of the compounds and comparisons are made between spectral and electrochemical data of the newly synthesized corroles and that of structurally related tetraarylcorroles lacking a [Formula: see text]-nitro group.