Baird’s rule explains why and when excited-state proton transfer (ESPT) reactions happen in organic compounds. Bifunctional compounds that are [4n + 2] π-aromatic in the ground state, become [4n + 2] π-antiaromatic in the first ¹ππ* states, and proton transfer (either inter- or intramolecularly) helps relieve excited-state antiaromaticity. Computed nucleus-independent chemical shifts (NICS) for several ESPT examples (including excited-state intramolecular proton transfers (ESIPT), biprotonic transfers, dynamic catalyzed transfers, and proton relay transfers) document the important role of excited-state antiaromaticity. o-Salicylic acid undergoes ESPT only in the “antiaromatic” S₁ (¹ππ*) state, but not in the “aromatic” S₂ (¹ππ*) state. Stokes’ shifts of structurally related compounds [e.g., derivatives of 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole and hydrogen-bonded complexes of 2-aminopyridine with protic substrates] vary depending on the antiaromaticity of the photoinduced tautomers. Remarkably, Baird’s rule predicts the effect of light on hydrogen bond strengths; hydrogen bonds that enhance (and reduce) excited-state antiaromaticity in compounds become weakened (and strengthened) upon photoexcitation.

Due to the reversal in electron counts for aromaticity and antiaromaticity in the closed-shell singlet state (normally ground state, S-0) and lowest * triplet state (T-1 or T-0), as given by Huckel's and Baird's rules, respectively, fulvenes are influenced by their substituents in the opposite manner in the T-1 and S-0 states. This effect is caused by a reversal in the dipole moment when going from S-0 to T-1 as fulvenes adapt to the difference in electron counts for aromaticity in various states; they are aromatic chameleons. Thus, a substituent pattern that enhances (reduces) fulvene aromaticity in S-0 reduces (enhances) aromaticity in T-1, allowing for rationalizations of the triplet state energies (E-T) of substituted fulvenes. Through quantum chemical calculations, we now assess which substituents and which positions on the pentafulvene core are the most powerful for designing compounds with low or inverted E-T. As a means to increase the -electron withdrawing capacity of cyano groups, we found that protonation at the cyano N atoms of 6,6-dicyanopentafulvenes can be a route to on-demand formation of a fulvenium dication with a triplet ground state (T-0). The five-membered ring of this species is markedly Baird-aromatic, although less than the cyclopentadienyl cation known to have a Baird-aromatic T-0 state.

Compounds with dibenzannelated heterocycles with eight pi-electrons are found in a range of applications. These molecules often adopt a bent structure in the ground state (S-0) but can become planar in the first excited states (S-1 and T-1) because of the cyclically conjugated 4n pi central ring, which fulfils the requirements for excited state aromaticity. We report on a quantum chemical investigation of the aromatic character in the S-1 and T-1 states of dibenzannelated seven- and six-membered heterocycles with one, two, or three heteroatoms in the 8 pi-electron ring. These states could have pi pi* or n pi* character. We find that compounds with one or two heteroatoms in the central ring have pi pi* states as their S-1 and T-1 states. They are to a significant degree influenced by excited state aromaticity, and their optimal structures are planar or nearly planar. Among the heteroatoms, nitrogen provides for the strongest excited state aromaticity whereas oxygen provides for the weakest, following the established trend of the S-0 state. Yet, dibenzannelated seven-membered-ring compounds with N=N bonds have non-aromatic n pi* states with strongly puckered structures as their S-1 and T-1 states.

2-Aryltellurophenols substituted in the aryltelluro or phenolic part of the molecule were prepared by lithiation of the corresponding O-THP-protected 2-bromophenol, followed by reaction with a suitable diaryl ditelluride and deprotection. In a two-phase system containing N-acetylcysteine as a co-antioxidant in the aqueous phase, all compounds quenched lipid peroxyl radicals more efficiently than α-tocopherol with 3 to 5-fold longer inhibition times. Compounds carrying electron donating para-substituents in the phenolic or aryltelluro part of the molecule showed the best results. The mechanism for quenching of peroxyl radicals was discussed in the light of calculated OH bond dissociation energies, deuterium labeling experiments and studies of thiol-consumption in the aqueous phase. 

An emerging material in the carbon family, a graphene nanoscroll (GNS) is composed of tubularly scrolled monolayer graphene and has shown superlubricity and large current sustainability, surpassing the properties of monolayer graphene itself. Here we report on the superior adhesion of GNS prepared with a high yield synthesis method that allows for mass production of high quality GNSs. Raman spectra indicate that the GNS still maintains the signature of monolayer graphene, implying the lacking of pi-stacking between adjacent layers. Importantly, adhesion measurements using atomic force microscopy reveal these GNSs with height range of 120-130 nm show a 2.5-fold stronger adhesion force than pristine graphene. This result potentially indicates that the GNS has higher adhesion than monolayer graphene and even higher than the liquid-solid and hydrogen-bonding enhanced interfaces which are essential types of adhesions involved in the field of physical adhesions and thus, GNS could be a new candidate for super-strong and lightweight devices.

Quinoidal compounds with proaromatic structures possess differing degrees of diradical character, where the open-shell diradical resonance form has restored aromaticity throughout the compound. Methods to tune the diradical character of these compounds have traditionally focused on altering the length and the molecular composition of the pi-conjugated backbones. However, other molecular design strategies to tune the singlet-triplet gap of pi-conjugated quinoidal molecules have not been extensively explored. We previously reported a strikingly small energy gap between the quinoidal and diradical states of a quinoidal small molecule containing methano[10]annulene (TMTQ) that was dictated in large part by the unusual aromaticity of the central annulene ring. Here, we report on two alkylated derivatives of TMTQthat present substantially different torsional biases to the planarity of the TMTQ pi-system. Using a combination of electronic and vibrational spectroscopies, magnetic measurements, and quantum chemical calculations, we demonstrate here how a steric effect rather than pi-electron compositional molecular engineering can dramatically narrow the singlet-triplet gap of a quinoidal compound to as small as -0.52 kcal/mol, determined experimentally. This study offers important insight for the continued development of open-shell diradical molecules that need not rely exclusively on the design of synthesis of new and complex conjugated systems.

Cyclic conjugation that occurs through-space and leads to aromatic properties is called homoaromaticity. Here we formulate the homoaromaticity concept for the triplet excited state (T₁) based on Baird's 4n rule and validate it through extensive quantum-chemical calculations on a range of different species (neutral, cationic and anionic). By comparison to well-known ground state homoaromatic molecules we reveal that five of the investigated compounds show strong T₁ homoaromaticity, four show weak homoaromaticity and two are non-aromatic. Two of the compounds have previously been identified as excited state intermediates in photochemical reactions and our calculations indicate that they are also homoaromatic in the first singlet excited state. Homoaromaticity should therefore have broad implications in photochemistry. We further demonstrate this by computational design of a photomechanical “lever” that is powered by relief of homoantiaromatic destabilization in the first singlet excited state.

Thirty two differently substituted siloles 1a–1p and 1,4-disilacyclohexa-2,5-dienes 2a–2p were investigated by quantum chemical calculations using the PBE0 hybrid density functional theory (DFT) method. The substituents included σ-electron donating and withdrawing, as well as π-electron donating and withdrawing groups, and their effects when placed at the Si atom(s) or at the C atoms were examined. Focus was placed on geometries, frontier orbital energies and the energies of the first allowed electronic excitations. We analyzed the variation in energies between the orbitals which correspond to HOMO and LUMO for the two parent species, here represented as ΔεHL, motivated by the fact that the first allowed transitions involve excitation between these orbitals. Even though ΔεHL and the excitation energies are lower for siloles than for 1,4-disilacyclohexa-2,5-dienes the latter display significantly larger variations with substitution. The ΔεHL of the siloles vary within 4.57–5.35 eV (ΔΔεHL = 0.78 eV) while for the 1,4-disilacyclohexa-2,5-dienes the range is 5.49–7.15 eV (ΔΔεHL = 1.66 eV). The excitation energy of the first allowed transitions display a moderate variation for siloles (3.60–4.41 eV) whereas the variation for 1,4-disilacyclohexa-2,5-dienes is nearly doubled (4.69–6.21 eV). Cyclobutadisiloles combine the characteristics of siloles and 1,4-disilacyclohexa-2,5-diene by having even lower excitation energies than siloles yet also extensive variation in excitation energies to substitution of 1,4-disilacyclohexa-2,5-dienes (3.47–4.77 eV, variation of 1.30 eV).

This report documents the synthesis, characterization, and computational evaluation of two isomeric borepin-containing polycyclic aromatics. The syntheses of these two isomers involved symmetrical disubstituted alkynes that were reduced to Z-olefins followed by borepin formation either through an isolable stannocycle intermediate or directly from the alkene via the trapping of a transient dilithio intermediate. Comparisons of their magnetic, crystallographic, and computational characterization to literature compounds gave valuable insights about the aromaticity of these symmetrically fused [b,f]borepins. The fusion of benzo[b]thiophene units to the central borepin cores forced a high degree of local aromaticity within the borepin moieties relative to other known borepin-based polycyclic aromatics. Each isomer had unique electronic responses in the presence of fluoride anions. The experimental data demonstrate that the local borepin rings in these two compounds have a relatively high amount of aromatic character. Results from quantum chemical calculations provide a more comprehensive understanding of local and global aromatic characters of various rings in fused ring systems built upon boron heterocycles.