Phenothiazine cyclic hexamers: synthesis, properties, and complexation behavior with C₆₀.

Area of Science:

• Organic Chemistry
• Supramolecular Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Phenothiazine derivatives are known for their diverse electronic and photophysical properties.
• Cyclic molecular architectures offer unique opportunities for host-guest chemistry and self-assembly.
• Fullerenes, particularly C60, are important building blocks in materials science and nanotechnology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize novel phenothiazine cyclic hexamers linked at the 3,7-positions.
• To investigate the influence of the cyclic structure and nitrogen atom substituents on molecular properties.
• To explore the encapsulation of C60 fullerenes within the phenothiazine macrocycle.

Main Methods:

• Chemical synthesis of phenothiazine cyclic hexamers.
• Spectroscopic characterization of synthesized compounds.
• Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations for structural and interaction analysis.

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis of phenothiazine cyclic hexamers with defined linkage points.
• Demonstration of the cyclic hexamer's ability to encapsulate C60 in a 1:1 ratio.
• Formation of a solution-state "Saturn-type" complex between the hexamer and C60.
• DFT calculations provided insights into the structural and electronic interactions within the complex.

Conclusions:

• Phenothiazine cyclic hexamers can be effectively synthesized and exhibit unique structural properties.
• The macrocyclic cavity is suitable for the encapsulation of C60 fullerenes, forming well-defined supramolecular assemblies.
• The study provides a foundation for designing novel phenothiazine-based supramolecular systems with potential applications in materials science.