Donor-acceptor macrocycles incorporating tetrathiafulvalene and pyromellitic diimide: Syntheses and crystal structures

The Mitsunobu reaction is shown to be a versatile method for the incorporat ion of pyromellitic diimide (PMDI) acceptors into new macrocyclic structure s containing tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) donors. In the case of macrocycle 5, the more efficient bis-pyrroloTTF donor was used instead of TTF Macrocycle 1 revealed distinct charge-transfer interactions in the trans-configuration , but not in the corresponding cis-form. Depending on the spatial geometry, inter- and intramolecular interactions between the TTF-donor and the PMDI- acceptor take place. X-ray crystal structures of macrocycles 1-cis, 1-trans , 2 and 5 are reported.