A series of cis- and trans-bis(ethynyl)platinum complexes containing dimethyldihydropyrene (DHP) photochromic compounds were synthesized from RDHPCCH (R = H, CH3CO, PhCO, 1-naphthoyl and benzo[e]) and platinum chloride with appropriate ancillary ligands (PEt3, PPh3, dppe, bipy and phen). The complexes were studied using mass spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy (1H, 13C, 31P and 195Pt) and IR. The X-ray structural information for bis(DHP-ethynyl) platinum complexes 44, 45, 47, 49, and 52 revealed that the Pt complexes possessed a square planar geometry at the metal centers. These platinum complexes are T type photochromic compounds. The BDHP-derived platinum complexes 48, 49, and 52 open completely when irradiated by visible light (λ > 590 nm). The photoopening rates for the platinum complexes are about 4 times slower than the corresponding DHP-alkynes. All the alkynyl platinum complexes close thermally faster than the corresponding free alkynes, and the closing rate is not affected substantially by changing the ancillary phosphine ligands. The BDHP-ethynyl platinum complexes with PEt3, PPh3 and dppe ligands have similar thermal closing half lives at 25°C of τ1/2 = 42 h, 38 h and 33 h, respectively, in contrast to the half life τ1/2 = 62 h of the BDHP-ethyne 40. The first cyclobutadienyl cobalt substituted dihydropyrenes were prepared by CpCo(CO)2 cyclization of a series of dihydropyrenyl ethynes. When the other alkyne substituent was small (methyl or carboxyethyl) only cis (head-to-head) isomers were obtained, but with larger sized groups, mixed head-to-head and head-to-tail isomers were obtained. The crystal structure of complex 21 indicated some unusually short bond distances were present. By comparison of the NMR and bond length data for complexes 21 or 69 with those for phenyl-DHP 60, the aromaticity of the cyclobutadienyl cobalt fragment was estimated quantitatively to be at least as large as that of benzene. The organometallic fragment [Cbd-Co-Cp] substantially slowed the DHP photoopening reaction of complex 72 relative to precursors 67 or 35. DHP[e]tropone, 17, DHP[e]tropylium cation, 18 and DHP[e]cyclooctatetraene dianion, 20 were synthesized to study the relative bond localizing abilities of COT dianion 80 (105 % relative to benzene), tropylium cation 15 (55 % relative to benzene), tropone 79 (13 % relative to benzene) using DHP as the NMR probe. The internal methyl protons of DHP resonated at δ -3.56 for 17, δ -2.61 for 18 and δ -1.38 for 20. Cycloheptatrienyl anions 111, 112 and 19 were made from cyclohepta-2,4,6-triene (CHT) isomers 107 and 108 (for two anions, 112 and 19). The internal methyl protons of their DHP resonated at δ -2.52, 2.67 for 111, δ -0.80, -0.84 for 112 and δ +2.10 for 19. The anion 19 was best taken as a 20π electron paratropic system. The homo-aromaticity of the CHT isomers 107, 108 and 117 was estimated based on the NMR data and X-ray structural data. Obvious anisotropic effects existed and the bond localization ability of the CHT (24% based on NMR data for 108) may have a large error. The ring inversion barriers of the COT 82 and CHT 77 were measured using variable temperature NMR spectroscopy as 13.9 and 8.7 kcal/mol, respectively. Five X-ray crystallography structures were obtained for 99B, 17, 108, 117 and 125 and the information was used in estimating the bond localization abilities and in establishing absolute stereochemistry / Graduate

Ce mémoire est consacré à la conception et la caractérisation de molécules, matériaux et dispositifs électroniques commutables incorporant le système photochrome diméthyldihydropyrène (DHP) / cyclophanediène (CPD). La première partie est dédiée à la synthèse et à la caractérisation de photochromes originaux basés sur l'unité diméthyldihydropyrène. En particulier, la modification chimique de ce motif par des groupements électroattracteurs de type pyridinium induit une nette amélioration des cinétiques de conversion photoinduites tout en constituant une unité aisément fonctionnalisable. Dans une seconde partie, le motif photochrome est associé à des complexes métalliques dérivés du ligand terpyridine qui confèrent des propriétés rédox à l'architecture moléculaire. Ces assemblages sont mis en œuvre pour la conception de films minces organisés obtenus par auto-assemblage de métallopolymères sur des surfaces solides. Les complexes et les films étudiés possèdent des propriétés photochromes et une activité rédox particulièrement prometteuses pour la conception de matériaux et dispositifs moléculaires multicommutables. Enfin, nous présentons l'étude de la conductance des isomères DHP et CPD. Un dispositif électronique à molécule unique a ainsi été mis en œuvre en utilisant le motif photochrome fonctionnalisé par deux unités pyridine, utilisées comme fonctions d'ancrage dans le dispositif. Il apparaît que l'isomère DHP possède une conductance d'environ quatre ordres de grandeur supérieurs à celle de l'isomère CPD correspondant. Ces deux états peuvent être commutés de manière très reproductible par application de stimulus optiques et thermiques. / This thesis is devoted to the design and characterization of switchable molecular systems (molecules, materials and electronic devices) incorporating the dimethyldihydropyrene / cyclophanediene (DHP/CPD) photochromic couple. The first part deals with the synthesis and characterization of original photochromic molecules based on the dimethyldihydropyrene unit. In particular, the chemical functionalisation of these molecular systems with electron-withdrawal pyridinium groups leads to an improvement of the kinetics of photo-induced conversion while providing an easily functionalizable unit, for example with metal cations complexing units. In the second part, the photochromic core is covalently linked with metal complexes based on terpyridine derivatives, conferring redox-active properties to the molecular architecture. These assemblies are applied for the design of organized thin films obtained by self-assembly of metallopolymers on solid surfaces. The model complexes and films display photochromic properties and redox activity particularly promising for the design of responsive materials and molecular devices. Finally, we present the study of the conductance of the isomers DHP and CPD. A single molecule electronic device in which individual molecules are utilized as active electronic components has been implemented using the photochromic group functionalized with two pyridine units, used as anchoring functions. It appears that the DHP isomer has a conductance of about four orders of magnitude higher than the corresponding isomer CPD. These two states can be switched very reproducibly and reversibly upon application of optical and thermal stimulus.

Le travail présenté dans ce mémoire est dédié à l'élaboration de complexes de ruthénium(II) photo-commutables originaux incorporant le couple photochrome Diméthyldihydropyrène (DHP) / Cyclophanediène (CPD), pour de futurs dispositifs moléculaires optoélectroniques.Dans le but de réaliser des systèmes complexes pouvant reproduire les fonctions d'un circuit logique, une stratégie intéressante repose sur l'association de molécules photo-commutables et de complexes métalliques. Cependant, cette stratégie se confronte à certains obstacles majeurs, généralement associés à la perte des propriétés de commutation des photochromes organiques. En réponse aux précédents résultats confirmant cette tendance, deux nouvelles familles de complexes terpyridiniques de ruthénium(II) à base de DHP ont été synthétisées. Sachant que la présence de fonction pyridinium améliore significativement les propriétés d'isomérisation du cœur DHP, les centres métalliques ont été connectés soit via un lien benzyle pyridinium (Ru-Lpy+tpy) soit via un lien aryle pyridinium (Ru-LZincke). Bien que fonctionnant à plus faible énergie, le complexe Ru-LZincke présente des performances amoindries, en revanche les complexes Ru-Lpy+tpy affichent une préservation notable de leurs propriétés de commutation. Suite à la découverte d'une photo-réactivité originale favorisée par la présence du centre métallique, une famille analogue à base de complexes bipyridiniques de ruthénium(II) (Ru-Lpy+bpy) a été étudiée. Même si les mécanismes ne sont pas complètement rationalisés, les complexes Ru-Lpy+bpy se sont révélés être de remarquables candidats pour la réalisation de photo-commutateurs réversibles quantitativement dans le domaine du visible. / The work of this thesis is devoted to the development of original photo-switchable ruthenium(II) complexes incorporating the photochromic Dimethyldihydropyrene (DHP) / Cyclophanediene (CPD), for future optoelectronic molecular devices.In order to realize complex systems capable of reproducing the functions of a logic circuit, an interesting strategy is based on the association of photo-switchable molecules and metal complexes. However, this strategy is confronted with some major obstacles, generally associated with the loss of the switching properties of organic photochromes. In response to previous results confirming this trend, two new families of DHP-based terpyridine ruthenium(II) complexes have been synthesized. Since the presence of pyridinium function significantly improves the isomerization properties of the DHP core, the metal centers were connected either via a pyridinium benzyl linkage (Ru-Lpy+tpy) or via an aryl pyridinium linkage (Ru-LZincke). Although operating at lower energy, Ru-LZincke complex exhibits lessened performance, whereas Ru-Lpy+tpy complexes exhibit a notable preservation of their switching properties. Following the discovery of an original photo-reactivity favored by the presence of metal center, an analogue family based on ruthenium (II) bipyridine complexes (Ru-Lpy+bpy) was studied. Even if the mechanisms are not completely rationalized, Ru-Lpy+bpy complexes have proved to be remarkable candidates for the realization of quantitatively reversible photo-switches in the visible domain.

The cyclopentadienone-fused dihydropyrenes 46 and 47 were synthesized. The internal methyl resonances, the coupling constants, NICS calculations and X-ray results confirmed that the cyclopentadienone displays antiaromatic character resulting in bond localization in the annulene ring consistent with a 4n-pi fused system. The ring current of the dihydropyrene fragment is reduced by fusion of the antiaromatic system by about 80% of that caused by benzene. The syntheses of the methylfulvene fused dihydropyrene 56 and the phenylfulvene fused dihydropyrene 58 have been accomplished. The calculated and experimental NMR data and NICS calculations all demonstrated that the fulvenes had weak diatropic ring currents and caused bond localizations in the DHP rings, in which phenyl fulvene has a larger effect than that of methyl fulvene. A number of bis-dihydropyrene systems, bis-dihydropyrene ketone 117, bis-benzo[e]dihydropyrene ketone 119, benzo[e]dihydropyrene dihydropyrene ketone 122, bis-benzo[e]dihydropyrene methylene 124 and the benzo[e]dihydropyrene- dihydropyrene acetylene 130, have been synthesized, in which 117, 119 and 124 are homo-systems and 122 and 130 are hetero-systems. The multiple photoswitching properties study found that all of these systems except 130 showed multi-states during the photo opening and photo closing processes, which means that each end of the DHP units photo opens or closes separately rather than synchronously. In the homo switches 117, 119 and 124, the two DHP units act independently, but the relative differentiation is not very significant. On the other hand, the hetero-switch 122 showed fully differentiated photo opening process and almost a pure open-closed intermediate 122’ could be achieved. This is the first example which clearly showed four states in the UV closing process. The relative photo opening and closing rates compared to benzoDHP 36 have also been studied. It was found that while the carbonyl linker largely increased the relative photo opening rate (117, 119 and 122), the methylene linker only increased it slightly (124). The photo closing processes were always fast as usual. The studies of the thermal return reactions of these systems showed that while the carbonyl linker substantially slowed down the thermal return reactions of the DHP units (117, 119 and 122), the methylene linker speeded it up slightly (124). The mono-iron tricarbonyl benzo[e]dihydropyrene complex 152, the bis-iron tricarbonyl benzo[e]dihydropyrene complex 153 and the iron tetracarbonyl dihydropyrene complex 151 were synthesized. The structures of 152 and 153 were determined by X-ray crystallography. The coordinations of iron tricarbonyl moieties to the DHP rings caused a distortion of ca. 30 degree away from the central DHP plane. Coordination also increased bond alternation and reduced ring currents in the DHP rings. 1H-NMR and X-ray studies showed that 152 showed a weak paratropic ring current in the DHP ring. Iron coordination of the DHP completely stopped the photochromic properties of the dihydropyrenes.

The synthesis of benzo[e]dimethyldihydropyrene (BDHP) photoswitches with ter-27, quarter-36, and quinque-28 thiophene oligomers attached on the same side of the switch was achieved using Stille coupling reactions. BDHP photoswitches with bi-75, ter-76 and quinque-77 thiophene oligomers attached directly to the switch on one side, and via a carbonyl spacer on the opposite side of the switch were also synthesized. Dimethyldihydropyrene (DHP) photoswitches with a naphthoyl functional group in the 2 position were synthesized using a Friedel Crafts reaction, and ter-96, quinque-97 and septi-98 thiophene oligomers were attached on opposite sides of the switch using Stille coupling reactions. All compounds were characterized by NMR, IR UV-vis spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The relative rates of the photo-opening reactions under excess light conditions and the UV closing reactions versus BDHP were measured. Improvements in the photo-opening properties of the oligothiophene functionalized switches compared to BDHP were observed. The most dramatic photo-opening improvement was found for the quinquethienyl substituted DHP switch 97 which photo-opened when irradiated with visible light over 100 times faster than BDHP. UV closing rates were virtually the same as that of BDHP. However the addition of oligothiophenes led to an increase in the thermal closing reaction rates. Compounds with the naphthoyl functional group in the 2 position of DHP were found to have dramatically increased thermal closing rates. The electrochemical properties of oligothiophene functionalized BDHP and naphthoyl functionalized DHP switches in the closed form were studied by cyclic voltammetry and spectroelectrochemistry. During the oxidation cycle, a closing reaction from the cyclophanediene (CPD) form to the DHP form of the switches occurred which prevented the study of the electrochemical properties of the switches in the open form. Conductivity testing was performed on the quinquethienyl substituted DHP switch 97 using a gold interdigitated micro electrode array. The conductivity of undoped 97 was greater in the closed DHP isomer than in the open CPD isomer. Irradiation with red or blue light allowed for repetitive switching between the more highly conducting closed form and the less conducting open form. When electrochemically doped, 97 showed improved conductivity over the undoped form but only the conductivity of the closed doped form could be measured due to electrochemically induced closing.