Restricted Rotation Involving the Tetrahedral Carbon. XIV. Conformational Equilibria and Attractive Interactions in Substituted 9-Benzyltriptycenes

Abstract

Abstract Several 9-benzyltriptycene derivatives were prepared by addition of benzynes to 9-benzylanthracenes. Rotation about the C9–Cbenzyl bond of compounds with a substituent at a peri-position to the benzyl group was found to be frozen at low temperatures on the NMR time scale but not at room temperature. In contrast, compounds with two substituents at two peri-positions to the benzyl group showed a frozen rotation about the C9–Cbenzyl bond at room temperature. Distribution of the conformers, as judged from the PMR intensities, showed preference to the dl-isomers in spite of the fact that they are the ones which are highly disfavored by steric effects. Interpretation of the phenomenon was based on the fact that attractive interactions, mainly charge-transfer type, exist between the substituted benzo group in the triptycene skeleton and the benzene ring in the benzyl group.