para-Connected cyclophenylenes and hemispherical polyarenes: building blocks for single-walled carbon nanotubes?

Carbon nanotubes by design? Cyclo-para-phenylenes are monomers for the synthesis of armchair carbon nanotubes (see picture, right), and are also attractive fluorophores that display size-dependent emission properties. Geodesic polyarenes represent a realistic alternative for the rational design of carbon nanotubes through the chemical elongation of the hydrocarbon template (left).