Ring current systems

Ring current (Section 13 5) Electnc field associated with cir culatmg system of tt electrons... 

Iron Porphyrins. Porphyrias (15—17) are aromatic cycHc compouads that coasist of four pyrrole units linked at the a-positions by methine carbons. The extended TT-systems of these compounds give rise to intense absorption bands in the uv/vis region of the spectmm. The most intense absorption, which is called the Soret band, falls neat 400 nm and has 10. The TT-system is also responsible for the notable ring current effect observed in H-nmr spectra, the preference for planar conformations, the prevalence of electrophilic substitution reactions, and the redox chemistry of these compounds. Porphyrins obtained from natural sources have a variety of peripheral substituents and substitution patterns. Two important types of synthetic porphyrins are the meso-tetraaryl porphyrins, such as 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphine [917-23-7] (H2(TPP)) (7) and P-octaalkylporphyrins, such as 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethylporphine [2683-82-1] (H2(OEP)) (8). Both types can be prepared by condensation of pyrroles and aldehydes (qv). 

Representative chemical shifts from the large amount of available data on isothiazoles are included in Table 4. The chemical shifts of the ring hydrogens depend on electron density, ring currents and substituent anisotropies, and substituent effects can usually be predicted, at least qualitatively, by comparison with other aromatic systems. The resonance of H(5) is usually at a lower field than that of H(3) but in some cases this order is reversed. As is discussed later (Section 4.17.3.4) the chemical shift of H(5) is more sensitive to substitution in the 4-position than is that of H(3), and it is also worth noting that the resonance of H(5) is shifted downfield (typically 0.5 p.p.m.) when DMSO is used as solvent, a reflection of the ability of this hydrogen atom to interact with proton acceptors. This matter is discussed again in Section 4.17.3.7. 

The stability of isothiazole derives from the fact that it has an aromatic delocalized ir-electron system. The NMR chemical shifts, which depend, inter alia, on ring currents, and the high stability of the molecular ions in mass spectrometry, are typical of aromatic compounds, and X-ray measurements confirm the partial double bond character of all the bonds of the ring. 

The NMR spectrum of this compound shows a diamagnetic ring current of the type expected in an aromatic system. X-ray crystal structures of 1 and its carboxylic acid derivative 2 are shown in Fig. 9.2. Both reveal a pattern of bond lengths very similar to that in naphthalene (see p. 534). ... 

Annulene is a very imstable compound that undergoes cyclization to bicyclic isomers and can be kept only at very low temperature. The NMR spectrum has been studied at low temperature." Besides indicating the double-bond geometry shown in the stmcture below, the spectrum reveals a paramagnetic ring current, the opposite to what is observed for aromatic systems. This feature is quite characteristic of the [4 ]annulenes and has been useful in characterizing the aromaticity or lack of it in annulenes." ... 

One criterion of aromaticity is the ring current, which is indicated by a chemical shift difference between protons, in the plane of the conjugated system and those above or below the plane. The chemical shifts of two isomeric hydrocarbons are given below. In qualitative terms, which appears to be more aromatic (Because the chemical shift depends on the geometric relationship to the ring current, a quantitative calculation would be necessary to confirm the correctness of this qualitative impression.) Does Hiickel MO theory predict a difference in the aromaticity of these two compounds ... 

The criterion of ipsocentric ring current has been used to assess aromaticity in S-N heterocycles (and related inorganic ring systems). Current density maps indicate that the ten r-electron systems [SsNs], [S4N3] " and [S4N4] ", and the fourteen r-electron system [S5N5] " support diatropic k currents, reinforced by a circulations. 

The HNMR spectrum (all resonances in the region 8 = 6.73-8.07) of 4-ethoxyindeno-[1,2-ifjazepine (18) indicates that it is a fully conjugated Mre-system with a substantial ring current.57... 

The HNMR spectrum indicates that thiepin 2 can sustain a diamagnetic ring current and hence represents a 1 On-aromatic system. 

The scientific interest in porphyrin ligands (Fig. 5) derives in part from their ability to accommodate a large series of different elements, often in various oxidation states. On the other hand porphyrins are planar molecules with a delocalized 18 Ti-electron system and a diatropic ring current [25], which makes them interesting for the design of new materials with applications in photochemistry [25-27]. 

In the following sections, systems with various numbers of electrons are discussed. When we look for aromaticity we look for (1) the presence of a diamagnetic ring current (2) equal or approximately equal bond distances, except when the symmetry of the system is disturbed by a hetero atom or in some other way (3) planarity (4) chemical stability (5) the ability to undergo aromatic substitution. 

Annulene and dehydro[22]annulene are also diatropic. A dehydroben-zo[22]annulene has been prepared that has eight C=C units, is planar and possesses a weak induced ring current. In the latter compound there are 13 outer protons at 6.25-8.45 8 and 7 inner protons at 0.70-3.45 5. Some aromatic bridged [22]annu-lenes are also known. The [26]annulene has not yet been prepared, but several dehydro[26]annulenes are aromatic.Furthermore, the dianion of 1,3,7,9,13,15, 19,21-octadehydro[24]annulene is another 26-electron system that is aromatic. Ojima and co-workers prepared bridged dehydro derivatives of [26], [30], and [34]annulenes. All of these are diatropic. The same workers prepared a bridged tetradehydro[38]annulene, which showed no ring current. On the other hand, the dianion of the cyclophane 89 also has 38 perimeter electrons, and this species is diatropic. ... 

As we have seen (p. 59), these systems are expected to be not only nonaromatic but actually antiaromatic. The chief criterion for antiaromaticity in annulenes is the presence of a paramagnetic ring current, which causes protons on the outside of the ring to be shifted upfield while any inner protons are shifted downfield, in sharp... 

The fact that many 4 systems are paratropic even though they may be nonplanar and have unequal bond distances indicates that if planarity were enforced, the ring currents might be even greater. That this is true is dramatically illustrated by the NMR spectrum of the dianion of 83 (and its diethyl and dipropyl homologs). We may recall that in 83, the outer protons were found at 8.14-8.67 8 with the methyl protons at —4.25 8. For the dianion, however, which is forced to have approximately the same planar geometry but now has 16 electrons, the outer protons are shifted to about -3 8 while the methyl protons are found at 21 8, a shift of 258 We have already seen where the converse shift was made, when [16]annulenes that were antiaromatic were converted to 18-electron dianions that were aromatic. In these cases, the changes in NMR chemical shifts were almost as dramatic. Heat of combustion measurements also show that [16]annulene is much less stable than its dianion. 

We can therefore conclude that in 4n systems antiaromaticity will be at a maximum where a molecule is constrained to be planar (as in 59 or the dianion of 83) but, where possible, the molecule will distort itself from planarity and avoid equal bond distances in order to reduce antiaromaticity. In some cases, such as cyclooctatraene, the distortion and bond alternation are great enough for antiaromaticity to be completely avoided. In other cases (e.g., 96 or 103), it is apparently not possible for the molecules to avoid at least some p-orbital overlap. Such molecules show paramagnetic ring currents and other evidence of antiaromaticity, although the degree of is not as great as in molecules such as 59 or the dianion of 83. 

The anisotropy of the magnetic susceptibility of a cyclic conjugated system, attributable to induced ring currents in its rc-electron network, is one of the important quantities indicative of 7t-electron delocalization. The method used for the calculation of the magnetic susceptibilities of nonalternant hydrocarbons is the London-Hoarau method taken together with the Wheland-Mann SCF technique . The resonance integral is assumed again to be of exponential form but... 

Using similar methodology, macrocycle 126 was prepared, as well as the unusual monoene 127 [76]. Considerable debate in the literature over the last thirty years has focused on whether dehydrobenzoannulenes are able to sustain induced ring currents [5al. Although fusion of arenes to the annulenic core provides rigidity and stability, this also weakens the diatropicity/paratropicity of the macrocycle significantly. Until quite recently, the number of planar systems available for study was limited however, with the the addition of 123 and 126, the series of alkyne-linked, tribenzo-fused dehydroannulenes is complete from... 

The bis-phosphonium salt (156) has been condensed with various dialdehydes to give potentially aromatic and anti-aromatic systems, while fully unsaturated 11- (158), 12- (159), and 13-membered (160) sulphur heterocycles have been prepared as shown. These showed no appreciable ring current and are presumably non-planar. 

Cyclophosphazenes are a fascinating group of inorganic heterocyclic compounds whose chemistry is multi-faceted, well developed and reasonably well understood. They are closely related to the linear poly-phosphazenes this relationship is unlike any other existing between ring-polymer systems. Although cyclic siloxanes and polysiloxanes have a close interrelationship, the number and types of cyclophospha-zene derivatives that are known, together with their exact counterparts in polyphosphazenes, underscore the utility of cyclophosphazenes as models for the more complex polyphosphazenes. The literature on cyclophosphazenes has appeared earlier in the form of books (1,2), chapters of books (3-5), authoritative compilations of data (6,7), and several reviews (8-21). The current literature on this subject is reported annually in the Specialist Periodic Reports published by the Royal Society of chemistry (22). This review deals mostly with chlorocyclo-... 

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