Stereoselective Syntheses, Structures and Properties of Extremely Distorted Chiral Nanographenes Embedding Hextuple Helicenes

International audienceWe report a molecular design and concept using p-system elongation and steric effects from helicenes surrounding a triphenylene core toward stable chiral polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with a maximal p-distortion to tackle their aromaticity, supramolecular and molecular properties. The selective syntheses, and the structural, conformational and chiroptical properties of two diastereomeric large multi-helicenes of formula C90H48 having a triphenylene core and embedding three [5]helicene units on their inner edges and three [7]helicene units at their periphery are reported based on diastereoselective and, when applicable, enantiospecific (!) Yamamoto-type cyclotrimerizations of racemic or enantiopure 9,10-dibromo[7]helicene. Both molecules have an extremely distorted triphenylene core, and one of them exhibits the largest torsion angle recorded so far for a benzene ring (twist = 36.9º). The analysis of aromaticity distribution in these model molecules using magnetic criteria revealed a non-aromatic character of their triphenylene cores and provides a new look at aromaticity in threedimensional PAHs. One diastereomer can complex up to three silver(I) ions in the bay region (cavities) of its peripheral [7]helicene units, opening the door to chiral cationic metal-nanographene hybrids