Multiple functionalization of benzophenones inside polyphenylene dendrimers--toward entrapped ions and radicals

Polyphenylene dendrimers possessing a defined number of keto groups in the dendritic scaffold have been synthesized by using a benzophenone-functionalized tetraphenylcyclopentadienone branching unit. A postsynthetic functionalization of the polyphenylene backbone was achieved by reacting the entrapped keto groups with organolithium reagents yielding monodisperse alcohol products. To investigate the accessibility and reactivity of the embedded groups, many functions of different size and nature, for example, the chromophore pyrene, were introduced. Moreover, suitable precursors for the synthesis of dendrimer entrapped species, trityl cations, trityl radicals, and ketyl radical anions, were obtained. To gain insight into the structure of these newly functionalized dendrimers, UV/vis, EPR, and NMR measurements have been performed. They showed a delocalization of the charge/spin into the polyphenylene dendritic arms leading to a stabilization of the ions/radicals. Remarkably, for the ketyl radicals, EPR measurements indicated the occurrence of intermolecular metal-bridged biradicals. They suggest the existence of a dendritic radical network of the dendrimers themselves.