A Strategy Based on "Ambident Anthracene" for the Synthesis of Higher-Order Iptycenes

An efficient method for the synthesis of higher-order iptycenes using an "ambident anthracene" building block is presented. For that purpose, an iterative elongation strategy involving the ring-opening of an endoxide to give a highly reactive anthranoxide, followed by a Diels-Alder reaction with an aryne was used. The method systematically provides higher-order iptycenes, including trideciptycene, which is currently the iptycene with the longest chain to have been synthesized. X-ray crystallography revealed interesting structures in which solvent molecules fill the cavities of these iptycenes, thus creating a "honeycomb" structure with the solvent molecules arranged in tubular spaces.