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Updated: May 31, 2026

Construction and Systematical Symmetric Studies of a Series of Supramolecular Clusters with Binary or Ternary Ammonium Triphenylacetates
Published on: February 15, 2016
Directed trilithiation enables entropically stabilized heavy-atom-centered triangulenes.
Hajime Gotoh1, Soichiro Nakatsuka2, Keisuke Kinoshita1
1Department of Chemistry, School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, Sanda, Japan.
Scientists developed a new method to embed heavy main-group elements into triangulene frameworks, creating stable, bowl-shaped molecules with unique electronic properties. This breakthrough enables novel main-group architectures for advanced materials.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Organic Chemistry
- Main-Group Chemistry
Background:
- Embedding heavy elements into π-conjugated systems offers stability via geometric confinement.
- Previous synthetic methods have struggled to achieve this incorporation effectively.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a regioselective synthetic strategy for incorporating heavy main-group elements into triangulene frameworks.
- To explore the structural, stability, and functional properties of these novel compounds.
Main Methods:
- Directed, regioselective trilithiation of nitrogen-bridged macrocycles.
- Synthesis of antimony-, bismuth-, tin-, and lead-centered triangulenes.
- Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.
Main Results:
- Successfully synthesized heavy-atom centered triangulenes with deep bowl-shaped geometries.
- Observed remarkable thermal and chemical stability despite strained structures.
- Demonstrated reversible redox behavior in antimony-centered triangulene.
Conclusions:
- A general synthetic platform for heavy-atom embedding in curved π-systems has been established.
- Geometric confinement effectively enhances stability of these strained main-group architectures.
- Topological embedding of heavy atoms leads to distinct functional properties, opening design opportunities.
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