Facile Bottom-Up Synthesis of Coronene-based 3‑Fold Symmetrical and Highly Substituted Nanographenes from Simple Aromatics

A facile
and efficient self-sorting assemble (CSA) strategy has
been paved for bottom-up construction of the 3-fold symmetrical and
highly substituted hexa-cata-hexabenzocoronenes (c-HBCs), the trithieno analogues, and larger disc-shaped
PAHs from simple chemicals using benzylic carbons as tenon joints
and a novel FeCl3-mediated AAA process as a key step. The
structures of the as-prepared c-HBCs and related
NGs were clearly identified by spectral analyses and X-ray crystallographic
studies. Moreover, these can be envisaged to serve as new launching
platforms for the construction of larger and more complex π-conjugated
molecules and supramolecular architectures because of the modifiable
and symmetrical decorations.