Nanographenes (NGs), have kindled considerable interest in the fields of materials science and supramolecular chemistry as a result of their unique self-assembling and optoelectronic properties. Large nanographenes, however, often suffer from instability upon exposure to light, reducing considerably the stability and longevity of nanographene-based materials. Hence, designing an artificial receptor with high binding affinities toward nanographenes and protecting them from photo-degradation, is a challenging, yet worthwhile, objective in noncovalent synthesis.<br/>Herein, we report<sup>1</sup> the design and synthesis of a trigonal prismatic hexacationic cage, which has a well-defined cavity and adopts a relatively flexible conformation. It serves as a receptor, not only for planar coronene, but also for contorted nanographene derivatives with diameters of approximately 15 Å and thicknesses of 7 Å. As a result of the ideal dimensional-matching, the binding affinities between the cage and contorted hexabenzocoronene guests are larger than that in the case of coronene. Notably, the photostability of the nanographenes is improved significantly by the ultrafast deactivation of their excited states within the cage. Encapsulating the contorted nanographenes inside the cage, not only provides a noncovalent strategy to regulate the photoreaction pathway of nanographenes, but it also extends the potential applications of synthetic receptors when it comes to the separation and stabilization of nanographenes.

Contorted nanographene shelter

ACS Spring 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.