Tetrathiafulvalene Thiolates: Important Synthetic Building Blocks for Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Chemistry

Abstract

The Preparation of rather complex molecular assemblies can now be accomplished by using a complete set of tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) based building blocks. The facile deprotection of the 2-cyanoethyl group, a versatile protecting group for 1,3-dithiolium-2-thione-4,5-dithiolaes and TTF-thiolates have proven to be a viable method for the incorporation of TTF units into macrocyclic and supramolecular compounds. Especially the stepwise protection-deprotection methodology have been used extensively by our group for the preparation of two and three dimensional macrocyclic (mono-, bis- and tricyclic) as well as TTF-based supramolecular systems. The generation, utilization and scope of the generated thiolates are illustrated by several examples: Dendrimeric and oligo-TTF's, three dimensional tetrathafulvalenophanes, TTF-containing catenanes and rotaxanes and donor acceptor systems based on TTF as the donating portion.