A Peri-tetracene Diradicaloid: Synthesis and Properties

Peri-acenes are good model compounds for zigzag graphene nanoribbons, but their synthesis is extremely challenging owing to their intrinsic open-shell diradical character. Now, the successful synthesis and isolation of a stable peri-tetracene derivative PT-2ClPh is reported; four 2,6-dichlorophenyl groups are attached onto the most reactive sites along the zigzag edges. The structure was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis and its electronic properties were systematically investigated by both experiments and theoretical calculations. It exhibits an open-shell singlet ground state with a moderate diradical character (y(0)=51.5% by calculation) and a small singlet-triplet gap (ES-T=-2.5kcalmol(-1) by SQUID measurement). It displays global aromatic character, which is different from the smaller-size bisanthene analogue BA-CF3.