Dodecaphenyltetracene

Dodecaphenyltetracene (4), the largest perphenylacene yet prepared, was synthesized from known tetraphenylfuran, hexaphenylisobenzofuran, and 1,2,4,5-tetrabromo-3,6-diphenylbenzene in three steps. The X-ray structure of the deep red, highly luminescent 4 shows it to be a D-2-symmetric molecule with an end-to-end twist of 97 degrees. The central acene is encapsulated by the peripheral phenyl substituents, and as a result, the molecule is relatively unreactive and even displays reversible electrochemical oxidation and reduction.