Conformational, Structural, and Chiroptical Properties of an Overcrowded Triply Fused Carbo[7]helicene

Recently, the synthesis of the racemate of an overcrowded triply fused carbo[7]helicene of formula C66H36 with three carbo[7]helicenes fused within a central six-membered ring was described. This molecule was found to embed an extremely contorted central six-membered ring and two negative curvatures. We report herein the resolution of the corresponding enantiomers and their conformational, structural, photophysical, and chiroptical properties. The racemization of the triply fused carbo[7]helicene was determined to proceed at a rate of k(rac) = 8.06 x 10(-4) s(-1) at 175 degrees C in ortho-dichlorobenzene, corresponding to a barrier to enantiomerization Delta G(enant)double dagger = 140.4 kJmol(-1), a value significantly lower than for pristine carbo[7]helicene. Interestingly, the crystalline structures of the racemic and enantiopure materials show some differences regarding the molecular geometry, with an increased negative curvature in the latter cases. This unusual curved delocalized pi-conjugated system afforded notably green fluorescence at room temperature and far-red phosphorescence at low temperature. Finally, electronic circular dichroism and circularly polarized luminescence responses of the enantiopure compounds have been measured and showed very close absorption and emission dissymmetry factors, g(abs) and g(lum), respectively, of ca. 2.6 x 10(-3), indicating a similar chiral rigid geometry for both ground and excited states.