Asymmetric Core-Expanded BOPYOs: Facile Synthesis and Optical Properties

N,O-bidentate BF₂ complexes with five- and six-membered core rings have been thoroughly investigated. However, the development of seven-membered N,O-boron complexes is still an area to be explored. We have developed BF₃  ⋅ OEt₂ -induced self-condensation and coordination reactions based on a single starting material, which had been elucidated by experiment and calculation. This parent asymmetric core-expanded borondifluoride-(Z)-1,3-di(1H-pyrrol-2-yl)but-2-en-1-one (BOPYO) showed reactivity with a wide range of aldehydes, thus providing a series of conjugation BOPYOs. Moreover, a BOPYO derivative with a dimethylamino group was developed as a new NIR dye that responds to acid with favorable photophysical properties based on intramolecular charge transfer effect.