A facile preparation, spectroscopic and chemical properties, crystal structures, and electrochemical behavior of monocarbenium ion compounds stabilized by 3-guaiazulenyl and dihydroxyphenyl (or hydroxymethoxyphenyl) groups

Reaction of guaiazulene (8) with 2,3-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (9) in methanol in the presence of hexafluorophosphoric acid (i.e., 65% aqueous solution) at 25 °C for 2 h gives (3-guaiazulenyl)(2,3-dihydroxyphenyl)methylium hexafluorophosphate (13) in 86% yield. Similarly, reaction of 8 with 2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde (10) [or 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (11) or 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde (12)] under the same reaction conditions as for 9 affords the corresponding monocarbenium ion compound 14 (63% yield) [or 15 (43% yield) or 16 (77% yield)], respectively, each product of which is stabilized by 3-guaiazulenyl and dihydroxyphenyl (or hydroxymethoxyphenyl) groups. A facile preparation and crystal structures as well as spectroscopic, chemical, and electrochemical properties of 13–16, possessing two interesting resonance structures, respectively, i.e., a protonated o- (or p-) benzoquinonemethide form and a 3-guaiazulenylium ion form, in a solution of acetonitrile and further, in a single crystal, are reported.