Iron(III) bromide catalyzed bromination of 2-tert-butylpyrene and corresponding position-dependent aryl-functionalized pyrene derivatives

The present work probes the bromination mechanism of 2-tert-butylpyrene (1), which regioselectively affords mono-, di-, tri- and tetra-bromopyrenes, by theoretical calculation and detailed experimental methods. The bromine atom may be directed to the K-region (positions 5- and 9-) instead of the more reactive 6- and 8-positions in the presence of iron powder. In this process, FeBr3 plays a significant role to release steric hindrance or lower the activation energy of the rearrangement. The intermediate bromopyrene derivatives were isolated and confirmed by H-1 NMR spectrometry, mass spectroscopy and elemental analysis. Further evidence on substitution position originated from a series of aryl substituted pyrene derivatives, which were obtained from the corresponding bromopyrenes on reaction with 4-methoxy-phenylboronic acid by a Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction. All position-dependent aryl-functionalized pyrene derivatives are characterized by single X-ray diffraction, H-1/C-13 NMR, FT-IR and MS, and offered straightforward evidence to support our conclusion. Furthermore, the photophysical properties of a series of compounds were confirmed by fluorescence and absorption, as well as by fluorescence lifetime measurements.