<i>tert</i>-Butyl (<i>E</i>)-3-oxo-2-(3-oxoisobenzofuran-1(3<i>H</i>)-ylidene)butanoate

Abstract

Non-fullerene acceptors have recently attracted much attention as components of organic solar cells. 1H-indene-1,3(2H)-dione is a key compound for the synthesis of the end-capping component of non-fullerene acceptors. In this communication, an intermediate for the synthesis of this compound, tert-butyl (E)-3-oxo-2-(3-oxoisobenzofuran-1(3H)-ylidene)butanoate, was prepared by the reaction between phthalic anhydride and tert-butyl acetoacetate. Further treatment with sodium methoxide in methanol led to the formation of 1H-indene-1,3(2H)-dione in a high yield. The structure of the newly synthesized compound was established by means of elemental analysis, high-resolution mass spectrometry, 1H, 13C NMR, IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and X-ray analysis.

Keywords

• non-fullerene acceptors
• end-capping component
• 1<i>H</i>-indene-1,3(2<i>H</i>)-dione
• <i>tert</i>-butyl acetoacetate
• Knoevenagel reaction
• X-ray analysis