Optimization of the surface modification process of cross‐linked polythiol‐coated chiral stationary phases synthesized by a two‐step thiol‐ene click reaction

A new platform technology for the preparation of stable chiral stationary phases was successfully optimized. The chiral selector tert‐butylcarbamoylquinine was firstly covalently connected to the polymer poly(3‐mercaptopropyl)methylsiloxane by thiol‐ene click reaction. Secondly, the quinine carbamate functionalized polysiloxane conjugate was coated onto the surface of vinyl modified silica particles and cross‐linked via thiol‐ene click reaction. The amount of polysiloxane, chiral selector, radical initiator, reaction solvent (chloroform and methanol), reaction time, and pore size of the supporting silica particles were varied and systematically optimized in terms of achievable plate numbers while maintaining simultaneously enantioselectivity. The optimization was based on elemental analysis data, chromatographic results, and H/u‐curves (Van Deemter) of the resultant chiral stationary phases. The results suggest that better chromatographic efficiency (higher plate numbers) at equal enantioselectivity can be achieved with methanol (a poor solvent for the polysiloxane that is dispersed rather than dissolved) and a lower film thickness of quinine carbamate functionalized polysiloxane. In this study, chiral stationary phases based on 100 Å silica slightly outperformed 200 Å silica particles (each 5 μm). The optimized two step material exhibited significantly reduced mass transfer resistance compared to the one step material and equal performance as a brush‐type chiral stationary phase.     

Surface‐imprinted microspheres prepared by a template‐oriented method for the chiral separation of amlodipine

The surface imprinting technique has been developed to overcome the mass‐transfer difficulty, but the utilization ratio of template molecules in the imprinting procedure still remains a challengeable task to be improved. In this work, specifically designed surface‐imprinted microspheres were prepared by a template‐oriented method for enantioseparation of amlodipine besylate. Submicron mesoporous silica microspheres were surface‐modified with double bonds, followed by polymerizing methacrylic acid to generate carboxyl modified mesoporous silica microspheres (PMAA@SiO₂). Afterwards, PMAA@SiO₂ was densely adsorbed with (S )‐amlodipine molecules to immobilize template molecules through multiple hydrogen bonding interactions. Then surface molecular imprinting was carried out by cross‐linking the carboxyl group of PMAA@SiO₂ with ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether. The surface‐imprinted microspheres showed fast binding kinetics of only 20 min for equilibrium adsorption, and the saturation adsorption capacity reached 137 mg/g. The imprinted materials displayed appreciable chiral separation ability when used as column chromatography for enantioseparation of amlodipine from amlodipine besylate, and the enantiomeric excess of (S )‐amlodipine reached 13.8% with only 2.3 cm column length by no extra chiral additives. Besides, the imprinted materials exhibited excellent reusability, and this allows the potential application for amplification production of amlodipine enantiomer.     

Rhodium‐ and ruthenium‐complex‐catalyzed condensation of ferrocene‐containing dithiols and diols with diarylsilanes to give silaferrocenophanes and ferrocene polymers

1,1′‐Ferrocenedithiol reacts with di(4‐methoxyphenyl)silane, diphenylsilane, and di(4‐fluorophenyl)silane in the presence of RhCl(PPh₃)₃ catalyst to give mixtures of 2,2‐diaryl‐1,3‐dithia‐2‐sila[3]ferrocenophanes (1a–3a) and ? (Fc? S? SiAr₂? S) _n? (Fc = 1,1′‐ferrocenylene; 1b: Ar = C₆H₄OMe‐4; 2b: Ar = Ph; 3b: Ar = C₆H₄F‐4). The products are isolated and characterized by NMR spectroscopy and elemental analyses. The polymers 1b–3b, obtained from a toluene‐soluble fraction of the products, show GPC elution patterns corresponding to M_n values of 2700–4600 (polystyrene standards). The UV–vis spectra of the ferrocenophanes and polymers exhibit a d–d transition peak at about 440 nm, while the polymers show a π–π* transition peak at 320–330 nm. The cyclic voltammograms of 3a (Ar = C₆H₄F ? 4) and 3b show a reversible redox of the iron center at 0.27 V and 0.35 V (Ag⁺/Ag) respectively. Reaction of 1,1′‐ferrocenedimethanol with diphenylsilane in the presence of RuCl₂(PPh₃)₃ catalyst results in selective formation of 3,3‐diphenyl‐2,4‐dioxa‐3‐sila[5]ferrocenophane ( 4 ), whose structure was determined by X‐ray crystallography. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Solid‐State NMR Characterization of Wilkinson’s Catalyst Immobilized in Mesoporous SBA‐3 Silica

The Wilkinson’s catalyst [RhCl(PPh₃)₃] has been immobilized inside the pores of amine functionalized mesoporous silica material SBA‐3 and The structure of the modified silica surface and the immobilized rhodium complex was determined by a combination of different solid‐state NMR methods. The successful modification of the silica surface was confirmed by ²⁹Si CP‐MAS NMR experiments. The presence of the T_n peaks confirms the successful functionalization of the support and shows the way of binding the organic groups to the surface of the mesopores. ³¹P‐³¹P J‐resolved 2D MAS NMR experiments were conducted in order to characterize the binding of the immobilized catalyst to the amine groups of the linkers attached to the silica surface. The pure catalyst exhibits a considerable ³¹P‐³¹P J‐coupling, well resolvable in 2D MAS NMR experiments. This J‐coupling was utilized to determine the binding mode of the catalyst to the linkers on the silica surface and the number of triphenylphosphine ligands that are replaced by coordination bonds to the amine groups. From the absence of any resolvable ³¹P‐³¹P J‐coupling in off‐magic‐angle‐spinning experiments, as well as slow‐spinning MAS experiments, it is concluded, that two triphenylphosphine ligands are replaced and that the catalyst is bonded to the silica surface through two linker molecules.     

Asymmetric Catalytic Formal 1,4‐Allylation of β,γ‐Unsaturated α‐Ketoesters: Allylboration/Oxy‐Cope Rearrangement

A highly enantioselective formal conjugate allyl addition of allylboronic acids to β,γ‐unsaturated α‐ketoesters has been realized by employing a chiral Ni^II/N,N′‐dioxide complex as the catalyst. This transformation proceeds by an allylboration/oxy‐Cope rearrangement sequence, providing a facile and rapid route to γ‐allyl‐α‐ketoesters with moderate to good yields (65–92 %) and excellent ee values (90–99 % ee). The isolation of 1,2‐allylboration products provided insight into the mechanism of the subsequent oxy‐Cope rearrangement reaction: substrate‐induced chiral transfer and a chiral Lewis acid accelerated process. Based on the experimental investigations and DFT calculations, a rare boatlike transition‐state model is proposed as the origin of high chirality transfer during the oxy‐Cope rearrangement.     

Chiral separation of amides of amino acid on a (S)‐N‐(3,5‐dinitrobenzoyl)leucine‐N‐phenyl‐N‐propylamide‐bonded silica using nonaqueous capillary electrochromatography

(S)‐N‐(3,5‐dinitrobenzoyl)leucine‐N‐phenyl‐N‐propylamine‐bonded silica was used as a chiral stationary phase for separation of a set of racemic π‐acidic and π‐basic α‐amino acid amides in electrolyteless ACN‐water eluents by CEC in the RP and polar organic (PO) modes. The effect of the amount of water in the ACN‐water eluent on chiral separation was examined. As water is added to ACN, retention was shortened but resolution and selectivity deteriorated severely. Retention, enantioselectivity, and resolution factors obtained in 100% ACN were compared with those in an n‐hexane‐isopropanol eluent with a small amount of water by normal phase (NP) CEC. Much shorter retention times with comparable enantioselectivities were observed with 100% ACN, demonstrating the advantage of separation on (S)‐N‐(DNB)leucine‐N‐phenyl‐N‐propylamine‐bonded silica in PO‐CEC over NP‐CEC.     

Well‐Defined SiO2@P(EtOx‐stat‐EI) Core–Shell Hybrid Nanoparticles via Sol‐Gel Processes

Positively charged nanoparticles (NPs) are very interesting for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications, such as nonviral gene delivery. Here, the synthesis of SiO₂ nanoparticles with a covalently grafted poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline) (PEtOx) shell (SiO₂@PEtOx) is presented. PEtOx with a degree of polymerization of 20 and 38 is synthesized via microwave supported cationic ring‐opening polymerization and subsequently end‐functionalized with a triethoxysilyl linker for subsequent grafting to silica particles with hydrodynamic radii of 7, 31, and 152 nm. The resulting SiO₂@PEtOx particles are characterized by using dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM, cryoTEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to determine changes in particle size. Thermal gravimetrical analysis is used to quantify the amount of polymer on the silica surface. Subsequent in situ transformation of SiO₂@PEtOx particles into SiO₂@P(EtOx‐stat‐EI) (poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline‐stat‐ethylene imine) grafted silica particles) under acidic conditions inverts the surface charge from negative to positive according to ζ‐potential measurements. The P(EtOx‐stat‐EI) shell could be used for the deposition of Au NP afterward.

     

[2+2] Photocycloaddition of 2‐Morpholinoprop‐2‐enenitrile to Perinaphthenone

Perinaphthenone (=1H‐phenalen‐1‐one), known for efficient population of its T₁ (π,π*) state and suggested as a standard sensitizer for singlet oxygen (¹Δg) formation, forms a single stereoisomer of a head‐to‐tail [2+2] photoadduct across its C(2)=C(3) bond with 2‐morpholinoprop‐2‐enenitrile in benzene by broad band UV excitation (λ≥280 nm). The reaction is advantageously run to low conversion of starting materials only. The structure of the adduct, especially the relative configuration at C(9), has been derived from ¹H‐NMR data including NOE signal enhancement studies.     

A three‐dimensional homochiral metal–organic framework constructed from manganese(II) with S‐carboxymethyl‐N‐(p‐tosyl)‐l‐cysteine and 4,4′‐bipyridine

In the chiral polymeric title compound, poly[aqua(4,4′‐bipyridine)[μ₃‐S‐carboxylatomethyl‐N‐(p‐tosyl)‐l ‐cysteinato]manganese(II)], [Mn(C₁₂H₁₃NO₆S₂)(C₁₀H₈N₂)(H₂O)]_n, the Mn^II ion is coordinated in a distorted octahedral geometry by one water molecule, three carboxylate O atoms from three S‐carboxyatomethyl‐N‐(p‐tosyl)‐l ‐cysteinate (Ts‐cmc) ligands and two N atoms from two 4,4′‐bipyridine molecules. Each Ts‐cmc ligand behaves as a chiral μ₃‐linker connecting three Mn^II ions. The two‐dimensional frameworks thus formed are further connected by 4,4′‐bipyridine ligands into a three‐dimensional homochiral metal–organic framework. This is a rare case of a homochiral metal–organic framework with a flexible chiral ligand as linker, and this result demonstrates the important role of noncovalent interactions in stabilizing such assemblies.     

“Pointsource” Delivery of a Photosensitizer Drug and Singlet Oxygen: Eradication of Glioma Cells In Vitro

We describe a pointsource sensitizer‐tipped microoptic device for the eradication of glioma U87 cells. The device has a mesoporous fluorinated silica tip which emits singlet oxygen molecules and small quantities of pheophorbide sensitizer for additional production of singlet oxygen in the immediate vicinity. The results show that the device surges in sensitizer release and photokilling with higher rates about midway through the reaction. This was attributed to a self‐amplified autocatalytic reaction where released sensitizer in the extracellular matrix provides positive feedback to assist in the release of additional sensitizer. The photokilling of the glioma cells was analyzed by global toxicity and live/dead assays, where a killing radius around the tip with ~0.3 mm precision was achieved. The implication of these results for a new PDT tool of hard‐to‐resect tumors, e.g. in the brain, is discussed.     

Double‐Stranded Helical Oligomers Covalently Bridged by Rotary Cyclic Boronate Esters

Novel double helices covalently bridged by cyclic boronate esters were synthesized from complementary dimers with an m ‐terphenyl backbone joined by a chiral or achiral phenylene linker bearing diethyl boronates and diols, respectively. The X‐ray crystallographic analysis and variable‐temperature NMR and circular dichroism measurements, along with theoretical calculations, revealed that the double helices function as a “molecular rotor” in which the cyclic boronate ester units rotate, yielding two stable rotamers at low temperatures. Moreover, our data indicates that the covalently bonded double helices can undergo a unique helix‐inversion simultaneously with a rotational motion of the boronate esters.     

Asymmetric anti‐Selective Michael Reaction of Imidazole‐Modified Ketones with trans‐β‐Nitroalkenes

The successful application of imidazole‐modified ketones in asymmetric anti‐selective Michael reactions with trans‐β‐nitroalkenes is presented by employing a newly developed 3‐bromothiophene‐modified chiral diamine ligand. The corresponding conjugate adduct was submitted to further transformations with Grignard reagents to solve the problem of α‐site selectivity of simple linear ketones. Additionally, the syn‐selective product was obtained by treating the anti‐selective adduct with a simple base. In this way, the site‐specific products for both diastereomers in the asymmetric conjugate addition of simple ketones to nitroalkenes can be obtained.     

[Hg2(μ‐bpe)(μ‐OAc)2(μ‐SCN)2]n,a New Two‐Dimensional Coordination Polymer Involving Three Simultaneously Bridging Ligands: 1,2‐Bis(4‐pyridyle)ethene,Acetate, and Thiocyanate

A new mercury(II) complex of 1,2‐bis(4‐pyridyle)ethene (bpe) with anionic acetate and thiocyanate ligands has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The single crystal X‐ray analysis shows that the complex is a two‐dimensional polymer with simultaneously bridging 1,2‐bis(4‐pyridyle)ethane, acetate and thiocyanate ligands and basic repeating dimeric [Hg₂(μ‐bpe)(μ‐OAc)₂(μ‐SCN)₂] units. The two‐dimensional system forms a three‐dimensional network by packing via π‐π stacking interactions.     

Functionalized Periodic Mesoporous Organosilica: A Highly Enantioselective Catalyst for the Michael Addition of 1,3‐Dicarbonyl Compounds to Nitroalkenes

A functionalized periodic mesoporous organosilica with incorporated chiral bis(cyclohexyldiamine)‐based Ni^II complexes within the silica framework was developed by the co‐condensation of (1R,2R)‐cyclohexyldiamine‐derived silane and ethylene‐bridge silane, followed by the complexation of NiBr₂ in the presence of (1R,2R)‐N,N′‐dibenzylcyclohexyldiamine. Structural characterization by XRD, nitrogen sorption, and TEM disclosed its orderly mesostructure, and FTIR and solid‐state NMR spectroscopy demonstrated the incorporation of well‐defined single‐site bis(cyclohexyldiamine)‐based Ni^II active centers within periodic mesoporous organosilica. As a chiral heterogeneous catalyst, this functionalized periodic mesoporous organosilica showed high catalytic activity and excellent enantioselectivity in the asymmetric Michael addition of 1,3‐dicarbonyl compounds to nitroalkenes, comparable to those with homogeneous catalysts. In particular, this heterogeneous catalyst could be recovered easily and reused repeatedly up to nine times without obviously affecting its enantioselectivity, thus showing good potential for industrial applications.     

Dithienylmethanone‐Based Cross‐Conjugated Polymer Semiconductors: Synthesis,Characterization, and Application in Field‐Effect Transistors

Herein, we report the synthesis, characterization, and field‐effect properties of two cross‐conjugated dithienylmethanone (DMO)‐based alternating polymers, namely, PDMO‐S and PDMO‐Se . Both polymers possess high thermal stability, good solubility, and broad absorption spectra. Their electrochemical properties were investigated using cyclic voltammetry, indicating that PDMO‐Se has higher HOMO/LUMO energy levels of −5.49/−3.49 eV than −5.57/−3.58 eV of PDMO‐S . The two polymers exhibited promising charge transport properties with the highest hole mobility of 0.12 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ for PDMO‐S and 0.025 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ for PDMO‐Se . AFM and 2D‐GIXRD analyses demonstrated that the PDMO‐S formed lamellar, edge‐on packing thin film with close π‐π stacking. These findings suggest that cross‐conjugated polymers might be potential semiconducting materials for low‐cost and flexible organic electronics. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018 , 56, 1012–1019     

Spectroscopic Study of the E/Z Photoisomerization of a New Cyrhetrenyl Acylhydrazone: A Potential Photoswitch and Photosensitizer†

The new cyrhetrenyl acylhydrazone [(CO)₃Re(η⁵‐C₅H₄)‐C(O)‐NH‐N = C(CH₃)‐(2‐C₄H₂S‐5‐NO₂)] ( E‐CyAH ) has been designed, synthesized and fully characterized to study the effect of having a cyrhetrenyl fragment (sensitizer) covalently bonded to an acylhydrazone moiety (switch), on its photophysical and photochemical properties. The crystal structure reveals that E‐CyAH adopts an E‐configuration around the iminic moiety [‐N = C(CH₃)]. The absorption spectrum of E‐CyAH displays two bands at 270 and 380 nm, which are mainly ascribed to π → π* intraligand (IL) and d_π → π* metal‐to‐ligand charge transfer (MLCT) transitions, being consistent with DFT/TD‐DFT calculations. Upon 365 nm irradiation, E‐CyAH photoisomerizes to Z‐CyAH , as evidenced by UV‐Vis and ¹H‐NMR spectral changes, with a quantum yield value Φ_{E‐CyAH →Z‐CyAH} of 0.30. Z‐CyAH undergoes a first‐order thermal back‐isomerization process, with a relatively short half‐life τ_1/2 of 277 min. Consequently, E‐CyAH was quantitatively recovered after 24 h, making it a fully reversible T‐type molecular photoswitch. This remarkable behavior allows us to measure the individual photophysical properties for both isomers. In addition, E‐CyAH and Z‐CyAH efficiently photosensitize the generation of singlet oxygen (O₂ (¹Δ_g)) with good yield (Φ_Δ = 0.342).     

Silica‐Grafted Tris(neopentyl)aluminum: A Monomeric Aluminum Solid Co‐catalyst for Efficient Nickel‐Catalyzed Ethene Dimerization

A silica‐supported monomeric alkylaluminum co‐catalyst was prepared via surface organometallic chemistry by contacting tris(neopentyl)aluminum and partially dehydroxylated silica. This system, fully characterized by solid‐state ²⁷Al NMR spectroscopy augmented by computational studies, efficiently activates (ⁿBu₃P)₂NiCl₂ towards dimerization of ethene, demonstrating comparable activity to previously reported dimeric diethylaluminum chloride supported on silica. Three types of aluminum surface species have been identified: monografted tetracoordinated Al species as well as two types of bisgrafted Al species—tetra‐ and pentacoordinated. Of them, only the monografted Al species is proposed to be able to activate the (ⁿBu₃P)₂NiCl₂ complex and generate the active cationic species.     

Enantioselective Conjugate Addition‐Protonation of 5H‐Oxazol‐4‐ones and 5‐Methylene 1,3‐Oxazolidine‐2,4‐diones: 2,2'‐Biphenol‐Induced Diastereoselectivity Switch

A synthetic strategy for catalytic asymmetric conjugate addition‐protonation and diastereoselective switch between 5H‐oxazol‐4‐ones and 5‐methylene 1,3‐oxazolidine‐2,4‐diones was established. An array of chiral conjugate addition‐protonation products bearing 1,3‐O‐heterotertiary‐O‐heteroquarternary nonadjacent stereocenters were obtained in excellent yields, moderate to good diastereoselectivities, and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 97% yield, 11: 1 dr, and 98% ee). Induction by 2,2’‐biphenol could effectively promote the production of the corresponding diastereoisomers via cycloaddition intermedia.     

Electrochemical Synthesis and Optical Properties of a Chiral Poly[1,4‐bis(3′,4′‐ethylenedioxythienyl)‐phenylene] Derivative

Summary: Optically active poly[(R)‐ or (S)‐1,4‐bis(2‐(3′,4′‐ethylenedioxy)thienyl)‐2‐benzoic acid 1‐methylheptyl ester] was prepared by an electrochemical technique and characterized by circular dichroism measurements. It was found that the optical activity and optical rotation of the film could be controlled by adjusting the electronic state of the electrochemical process. Polymer films prepared in the oxidized state exhibit a weak Cotton effect, while the reduced polymer film exhibits the expected mirror‐image bisignate Cotton effect in the region of the π–π* transition of the polymer main chain. These results indicate that the main chain itself is chiral in the film state. This procedure has great potential for the preparation of functional electrochromic devices and the improved preparation of durable electrochromic devices based on the good film‐forming properties of the chiral polymer.

Cyclic voltammogram and CD spectra of the chiral polymer thin film produced here.     

Preparation and evaluation of a deoxycholic‐calix[4]arene hybrid‐type receptor as a chiral stationary phase for HPLC

We report the synthesis and enantioseparation characteristics of two novel covalently immobilized deoxycholic acid derivatives as chiral stationary phases for high‐performance liquid chromatography. In the structure of the first stationary phase, the 3‐position of deoxycholic acid is substituted with a 3,5‐dinitrophenylcarbamoyl group and the second one has an additional calix[4]arene attached to the carboxylic group of the deoxycholic acid. The chromatographic performance of the stationary phases was evaluated with enantioseparation of N‐(3,5‐dinitrobenzoyl)‐dl ‐leucine, N‐(3,5‐dinitrobenzoyl)‐dl ‐valine, omeprazole, diclofop‐methyl, dl ‐mandelic acid and (RS)‐pregabalin. Comparison of the performance characteristics of the prepared chiral stationary phases provided evidence for the active involvement of the calix[4]arene unit in the chiral recognition process. Both stationary phases are chemically bonded to the silica and can be used in both normal‐phase and reversed‐phase modes.