IChO 2006 · Theory problem 9

Photolithographic process

Photolithography is a process used in semiconductor device fabrication to transfer a pattern from a photomask to the surface of a substrate. In a typical photolithography process, light is projected, through a mask that defines a particular circuitry, onto a silicon wafer coated with a thin layer of photoresist.

The earliest photoresists were based on the photochemistry that generates a reactive intermediates from bis(aryl azide). Patterning becomes possible through the cross-linking reaction of the nitrenes generated from the azides.

Figure 1

9.1 Draw two possible Lewis structures of \(\ce{CH3-N3}\), the simplest compound having the same active functional group of bis(aryl azide). Assign formal charges.

9.2 Draw the Lewis structure of nitrene expected from \(\ce{CH3-N}\).

9.3 Draw the structures for two possible products, when this nitrene from \(\ce{CH3-N3}\) reacts with ethylene gas (\(\ce{CH2CH2}\)).

Photoresists consisting of Novolak polymers, utilizes acid to change their solubility. The acid component can be produced photochemically from diazonaphthaquinone. In fact, “Novolaks” have been the representative “positive” photoresists of the modern microelectronic revolution.

Figure 2

When irradiated, diazonaphthaquinone undergoes photochemical decomposition followed by rearrangement eventually producing a carboxylic acid.

Figure 3

9.4 Draw three Lewis structures of diazoacetaldehyde (see below), the simplest compound having the same active functional group of diazonaphthaquinone. Indicate formal charges.

Figure 4

9.5 Draw a Lewis structure of the rearranged intermediate, A (see below), generated from diazoacetaldehyde after losing \(\ce{N2}\). A satisfies Lewis’ octet rule and reacts with water to form acetic acid, \(\ce{CH3COOH}\).

Figure 5

Advanced photoresists were invented in 1982 based on chemical amplification. The most popular chemical amplification for positive-tone involves the acid catalyzed deprotection of poly(p-hydroxystyrene) resin protected by various acid-sensitive protecting groups such as t-butyloxycarbonyl (t-BOC).

Figure 6

The thermal decomposition of carbonate ester itself normally occurs well above \(150\,^\circ\mathrm{C}\).

9.6 Two plausible mechanisms have been suggested for this decomposition reaction having relatively high activation energy. Draw expected intermediates and products from this reaction.

Figure 7

9.7 In the presence of a trace amount of acid, the reaction temperature can be reduced to below \(100\,^\circ\mathrm{C}\). Draw expected intermediate F from the following chemical amplification process based on using t-BOC.

Figure 8

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 9.1. The two principal resonance contributors of methyl azide are \(\ce{CH3-N=N^{+}=N^{-}}\), CN=[N+]=[N-], and \(\ce{CH3-N^{-}-N^{+}\bond{#}N}\), C[N-][N+]#N. Unmarked atoms have zero formal charge.

  • 9.2. Methylnitrene, \(\ce{CH3-N}\), C[N]: nitrogen has one single bond and four nonbonding electrons, giving a sextet and zero formal charge. The singlet drawing has two lone pairs; the triplet drawing has one lone pair and two unpaired electrons. SMILES does not specify this spin distinction.

  • 9.3. 1-Methylaziridine, CN1CC1, from addition across the double bond, and N-methylethenamine (N-methylvinylamine), \(\ce{CH2=CH-NH-CH3}\), C=CNC, from insertion into a carbon–hydrogen bond.

  • 9.4. Three resonance contributors of diazoacetaldehyde are \(\ce{H-C(=O)-CH=N^{+}=N^{-}}\), O=CC=[N+]=[N-]; \(\ce{H-C(=O)-CH^{-}-N^{+}\bond{#}N}\), O=C[CH-][N+]#N; and \(\ce{O^{-}-CH=CH-N^{+}\bond{#}N}\), [O-]C=C[N+]#N.

  • 9.5. A is ketene (ethenone), \(\ce{CH2=C=O}\), C=C=O. Oxygen has two lone pairs; all formal charges are zero.

  • 9.6. B: 2-methylpropene (isobutene), \(\ce{CH2=C(CH3)2}\), C=C(C)C; C: carbon dioxide, \(\ce{CO2}\), O=C=O; D: tert-butyl cation, \(\ce{(CH3)3C+}\), C[C+](C)C; E: phenyl carbonate anion, \(\ce{PhO-C(=O)-O^{-}}\), O=C([O-])Oc1ccccc1. The gas shown beside phenol in the upper route must be C, despite its printed label B.

  • 9.7. F is a protonated Boc carbonate, conventionally drawn with protonation at the carbonyl oxygen: \(\ce{Ar-O-C(=OH^{+})-O-C(CH3)3}\). A protonated polymer repeat unit is represented by [*]CC([*])c1ccc(OC(=[OH+])OC(C)(C)C)cc1, where [*] marks polymer-chain continuation. The tert-butoxy-oxygen-protonated alternative is discussed below.

Solution

Here, \(\ce{Ph}\) denotes phenyl, and \(\ce{Ar}\) denotes the polymer-bound, para-substituted phenyl group in 9.7. Small species used below are dinitrogen, N#N; ethene (ethylene), C=C; water, O; and the proton, [H+].

9.1

Formal charge is calculated from

\[ q_{\mathrm{formal}} = V-n_{\mathrm{nonbonding}} -\frac{1}{2}n_{\mathrm{bonding}}, \]

where \(V\) is the number of valence electrons of the free atom.

The two principal Lewis structures of methyl azide are resonance contributors:

\[ \ce{CH3-N=N^{+}=N^{-} <-> CH3-N^{-}-N^{+}\bond{#}N}. \]

Number the nitrogen atoms from the methyl end.

Contributor Formal charges on the three nitrogen atoms Lone pairs on the three nitrogen atoms
\(\ce{CH3-N=N^{+}=N^{-}}\) \(0,\,+1,\,-1\) \(1,\,0,\,2\)
\(\ce{CH3-N^{-}-N^{+}\bond{#}N}\) \(-1,\,+1,\,0\) \(2,\,0,\,1\)

Both structures contain 22 valence electrons, satisfy the octet rule, and have zero net charge. They differ only in electron placement.

9.2

Photolysis expels dinitrogen:

\[ \ce{CH3N3 ->[h\nu] CH3N + N2}. \]

The remaining species is methylnitrene, C[N]. Draw a methyl group joined to nitrogen by a single bond.

Nitrogen retains four nonbonding electrons. In a singlet Lewis drawing these form two lone pairs; in the triplet representation they comprise one lone pair and two unpaired electrons. In either case,

\[ q_{\mathrm N}=5-4-\frac{2}{2}=0. \]

The nitrogen has only six electrons around it: four nonbonding electrons and the two electrons of its carbon–nitrogen bond. This electron deficiency explains its high reactivity. The molecular connectivity alone does not specify its spin state.

9.3

Two standard reactions of the nitrene give the requested products.

  1. Addition across the double bond gives 1-methylaziridine, CN1CC1:

\[ \ce{CH3N + CH2=CH2 -> C3H7N} \qquad\text{(1-methylaziridine)}. \]

Draw a three-membered triangle with nitrogen at one vertex and a methylene group at each of the other two vertices. Attach a methyl group to nitrogen. Nitrogen has three single bonds, one lone pair, and zero formal charge.

The ethene double bond becomes a single bond, and nitrogen forms a bond to each carbon.

  1. Insertion into a vinylic carbon–hydrogen bond gives N-methylethenamine, C=CNC:

\[ \ce{CH3N + CH2=CH2 -> CH2=CH-NH-CH3}. \]

Nitrogen becomes bonded to both atoms of the original carbon–hydrogen bond. The carbon–carbon double bond remains. Draw the open chain \(\ce{CH2=CH-NH-CH3}\), with one lone pair on nitrogen.

For either product, the overall photochemical equation is

\[ \ce{CH3N3 + C2H4 ->[h\nu] C3H7N + N2}. \]

9.4

The diazo group is conjugated with the carbonyl group. Consequently, its negative charge can be represented on terminal nitrogen, the adjacent carbon, or oxygen:

\[ \begin{aligned} &\ce{H-C(=O)-CH=N^{+}=N^{-}}\\ &\quad\leftrightarrow\ce{H-C(=O)-CH^{-}-N^{+}\bond{#}N}\\ &\quad\leftrightarrow\ce{O^{-}-CH=CH-N^{+}\bond{#}N}. \end{aligned} \]

These are three resonance contributors of diazoacetaldehyde, rather than three distinct compounds.

Contributor Nonzero formal charges Lone pairs to include
O=CC=[N+]=[N-] Central nitrogen \(+1\); terminal nitrogen \(-1\) Two on oxygen; two on terminal nitrogen
O=C[CH-][N+]#N Diazo-bearing carbon \(-1\); central nitrogen \(+1\) Two on oxygen; one on the negative carbon; one on terminal nitrogen
[O-]C=C[N+]#N Oxygen \(-1\); central nitrogen \(+1\) Three on oxygen; one on terminal nitrogen

The positively charged nitrogen has no lone pair in any contributor. All unmarked atoms are neutral.

The first-to-second conversion forms a nitrogen–nitrogen triple bond while moving the carbon–nitrogen \(\pi\)-electron pair onto carbon. Donation of that carbon lone pair toward the carbonyl, accompanied by movement of the carbonyl \(\pi\) electrons onto oxygen, gives the third contributor.

Each structure has 26 valence electrons, complete octets, and zero net charge.

9.5

Loss of dinitrogen initially gives formylcarbene (2-oxoethylidene), O=C[CH]:

\[ \ce{H-C(=O)-CHN2 ->[h\nu] H-C(=O)-C(H): + N2}. \]

The colon indicates the carbene electron pair in a singlet Lewis representation; SMILES does not specify spin.

A Wolff rearrangement then transfers the aldehydic hydrogen to the carbene carbon while forming a carbon–carbon double bond:

\[ \ce{H-C(=O)-C(H): -> CH2=C=O}. \]

Thus A is ketene, C=C=O.

Draw the sequence carbon–carbon–oxygen with two consecutive double bonds. The terminal carbon bears two hydrogens, and oxygen bears two lone pairs. Both carbon atoms and oxygen satisfy the octet rule; every formal charge is zero.

Hydration gives acetic acid (ethanoic acid), CC(=O)O:

\[ \ce{CH2=C=O + H2O -> CH3COOH}. \]

Formally, hydrogen adds to the terminal carbon and hydroxyl to the central carbon. The complete reaction is

\[ \ce{C2H2N2O + H2O ->[h\nu] CH3COOH + N2}. \]

9.6

The model substrate is tert-butyl phenyl carbonate, CC(C)(C)OC(=O)Oc1ccccc1.

In the upper pathway, a six-membered cyclic transition state transfers a hydrogen from a tert-butyl methyl group to the carbonyl oxygen. Carbon–carbon double-bond formation, cleavage of the tert-butyl–oxygen bond, and redistribution of the carbonate bonds occur together.

This gives B, isobutene, and phenyl hydrogen carbonate, O=C(O)Oc1ccccc1:

\[ \ce{PhO-C(=O)-O-C(CH3)3 ->[\Delta] CH2=C(CH3)2 + PhO-C(=O)-OH}. \]

Phenyl hydrogen carbonate subsequently loses C, carbon dioxide, giving phenol, Oc1ccccc1:

\[ \ce{PhO-C(=O)-OH -> PhOH + CO2}. \]

This identifies the apparent labeling error in the upper scheme: the species released beside phenol is carbon dioxide, C.

In the lower pathway, heterolytic cleavage of the tert-butyl–oxygen bond leaves its electron pair on oxygen:

\[ \ce{PhO-C(=O)-O-C(CH3)3 -> (CH3)3C+ + PhO-C(=O)-O^{-}}. \]

Therefore:

  • D is the tert-butyl cation, C[C+](C)C. Draw its central, positively charged carbon bonded to three methyl groups.
  • E is the phenyl carbonate anion, O=C([O-])Oc1ccccc1. Draw the negative charge on the singly bonded terminal oxygen; it is delocalized over the two non-phenoxy oxygens.

The subsequent steps shown in the problem are

\[ \ce{(CH3)3C+ -> CH2=C(CH3)2 + H+}, \]

and

\[ \ce{PhO-C(=O)-O^{-} -> PhO^{-} + CO2}. \]

The phenoxide ion, [O-]c1ccccc1, is then protonated:

\[ \ce{PhO^{-} + H+ -> PhOH}. \]

Both pathways have the same balanced overall reaction:

\[ \boxed{ \ce{PhO-C(=O)-O-C(CH3)3 -> PhOH + CH2=C(CH3)2 + CO2} }. \]

Thus one carbonate group produces one molecule each of phenol, isobutene, and carbon dioxide.

9.7

The starting material is Boc-protected poly(p-hydroxystyrene). One repeat unit can be represented as [*]CC([*])c1ccc(OC(=O)OC(C)(C)C)cc1; the wildcard atoms mark chain continuation, and no polymer stereochemistry is specified in the question.

A conventional first step is protonation of the carbonyl oxygen:

\[ \ce{Ar-O-C(=O)-O-C(CH3)3 + H+ <=> Ar-O-C(=OH^{+})-O-C(CH3)3}. \]

This is F, the carbonyl-protonated carbonate, with repeat-unit SMILES [*]CC([*])c1ccc(OC(=[OH+])OC(C)(C)C)cc1.

For the requested drawing, retain the polymer backbone and the para-substituted aromatic ring. Add hydrogen to the carbonate’s carbonyl oxygen and place a positive charge on that oxygen. It has one lone pair and a bond-order sum of three.

Cleavage releases the tert-butyl cation:

\[ \ce{Ar-O-C(=OH^{+})-O-C(CH3)3 -> Ar-O-C(=O)-OH + (CH3)3C+}. \]

During this cleavage, the tert-butoxy oxygen can supply the new carbonyl \(\pi\) bond while the original carbonyl \(\pi\) electrons move onto the protonated oxygen. The latter consequently becomes the hydroxyl oxygen of the carbonic-acid monoester.

The polymer-bound hydrogen carbonate has repeat-unit SMILES [*]CC([*])c1ccc(OC(=O)O)cc1. It decomposes to the deprotected poly(p-hydroxystyrene) repeat, [*]CC([*])c1ccc(O)cc1, and carbon dioxide:

\[ \ce{Ar-O-C(=O)-OH -> Ar-OH + CO2}. \]

Meanwhile, D loses a proton to give B:

\[ \ce{(CH3)3C+ -> CH2=C(CH3)2 + H+}. \]

The overall reaction is therefore

\[ \boxed{ \ce{Ar-O-C(=O)-O-C(CH3)3 ->[H+,\ \Delta] Ar-OH + CH2=C(CH3)2 + CO2} }. \]

The proton is regenerated. A single photogenerated acid molecule can therefore promote removal of many protecting groups: this is the chemical amplification.

An alternative representation of the acid-activated intermediate protonates the tert-butoxy oxygen:

\[ \ce{Ar-O-C(=O)-O^{+}(H)-C(CH3)3}. \]

This tert-butoxy-oxygen-protonated carbonate protomer has repeat-unit SMILES [*]CC([*])c1ccc(OC(=O)[OH+]C(C)(C)C)cc1. Cleavage of its tert-butyl–oxygen bond directly gives the same hydrogen carbonate and D. The two protonation-site structures are distinct protomers, not resonance contributors.

The solution was checked against the official solution.