Electron-Poor Bowl-Shaped Polycyclic Aromatic Dicarboximides: Synthesis, Crystal Structures, and Optical and Redox Properties

Two new bowl-shaped polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, based on corannulene and naphthalene dicarboximide, are synthesized by an improved Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling and C–H arylation cascade reaction. Crystallographic analyses confirm structural assignments and provide insight into molecular interactions in the solid state. The new bowl-shaped molecules show reversible oxidation and reduction, intense visible range absorption, and high fluorescence quantum yields. These molecules can be considered bowl-shaped congeners of planar perylene dicarboximides.