Inherently chiral biscalixarene cone–cone conformers consisting of calix[4]arene and calix[5]arene subunits

Inherently chiral biscalixarenes with hetero-cavities were synthesized by a covalent assembly of p-tert-butylcalix[5]arene with a 1,3-substituted calix[4]arene via 1,3-alkylation reaction and subsequent desymmetrization. The racemates were resolved by chiral HPLC method. ¹H NMR spectra, VT-NMR spectra, and theoretical calculations support that the calix[5]arene subunit of the inherently chiral calix[4][5]arene ester adopts a cone-in conformation, with the aromatic ring bearing the CH₂CO₂Et group tilting inward the calix[5]arene cavity. By contrast, such a cone-in structural feature of the calix[5]arene subunit disappears for the corresponding inherently chiral calix[4][5]arene carboxylic acid, due to the intramolecular hydrogen bonding between the carboxyl group and an ethereal oxygen of the glycolic chain.     

Facile synthesis and optical resolution of inherently chiral fluorescent calix[4]crowns: enantioselective recognition towards chiral leucinol

A series of tri-O-alkylated inherently chiral fluorescent calix[4]crowns in the cone conformations and a series of tetra-O-alkylated inherently chiral fluorescent calix[4]crowns in the partial cone conformations have been synthesized. By condensing with chiral auxiliary (S)-BINOL, the resulting diastereomers could be separated via preparative TLC. We found that the size of the crown moiety effected the separation of the diastereomers. Further, removal of the BINOL unit by hydrolysis furnished pairs of enantiomers with optical purity. Moreover, we found that a tetra-O-alkylated inherently chiral fluorescent calix[4]crown-6 in the partial cone conformation 6c showed considerable enantioselective recognition capability towards chiral leucinol.     

Synthesis and characterization of an inherently chiral calix[6]arene in the 1,4-alternate conformation

An inherently chiral calix[6]arene possessing a C₂-symmetric A-B-H substitution pattern was synthesized via a two step process starting from the parent hexa-t-butylcalix[6]arene. The racemic, inherently chiral compound exists as a single isomer with the 1,4-alternate conformation. The inherent chirality was confirmed by treatment of the racemic compound with Pirkle’s reagent to form diastereomeric complexes in solution.     

Chemical resolution and chiral recognition of an inherently chiral biscalix[4]arene cone–partial cone conformer

An inherently chiral biscalix[4]arene carboxylic acid cone–partial cone conformer was optically resolved into individual enantiomers by chemical resolution method using (S)-BINOL as a chiral auxiliary. The partial cone calix[4]arene component plays a crucial role in optical resolution. The title compound may interact enantiodiscriminantly with chiral aminoalcohols, especially 2-phenylglycinol.     

An inherently chiral calix[4]crown carboxylic acid in the partial cone conformation

We have designed and synthesized an inherently chiral calix[4]arene partial cone conformer, in which a crown-4 ether moiety, a carboxyl group, and a propyl group are convergent. Chemical resolution was achieved by use of (S)-BINOL as a chiral auxiliary. ¹H NMR titration data revealed that the title compound does not have the ability to differentiate both enantiomers of chiral amine and aminoalcohol guests. The approximately symmetric calix[4]arene skeleton of the partial cone conformer is presumed to be responsible for its undesirable chiral recognition ability.     

Enantiopure inherently chiral calix[4]arene derivatives containing quinolin-2-yl-methanol moiety: Synthesis and application in the catalytic asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to benzaldehyde

A series of novel N,O-type chiral ligands derived from enantiopure inherently chiral calix[4]arenes containing quinolin-2-yl-methanol moiety in the cone or partial-cone conformation have been synthesized and characterized. Moreover, they have been applied to the catalytic asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to benzaldehyde, which represents the first example that the inherently chiral calixarene can be used as the chiral ligands for the catalytic asymmetric synthesis.     

Design of a novel inherently chiral calix[4]arene for chiral molecular recognition

A newly designed inherently chiral calix[4]arene was synthesized and resolved to an optically pure form. Enantiomeric recognition ability of the chiral calix[4]arene was examined using 1H NMR experiments with mandelic acid. In addition, the chiral calix[4]arene was applied to asymmetric reactions, as an organocatalyst.     

Proximal heteroalkylation of monoalkoxycalix[4]arenes in synthesis of inherently chiral molecules

Proximal heteroalkylation of monoalkyl ethers of calix[4]arenes or p-tert-butylcalix[4]arenes in NaH/CH₃CN or NaOH/DMSO, respectively, was applied for synthesis of inherently chiral calixarenes with ABHH substitution pattern. The introduction by the method of (R)- or (S)-N-(α-phenylethyl)acetamide chiral auxiliary group gives mixtures of diastereomeric derivatives of inherently chiral calixarenes, which were separated by column chromatography. The chiral calixarenes were thoroughly characterized by ¹H, ¹³C NMR, and X-ray diffraction methods.     

One-step synthesis of inherently chiral p-tert-butylcalix[4]azacrown

A one-step procedure is developed to synthesize inherently chiral p-tert-butylcalix[4]azacrown 1 through etherification between p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene and compound 3, which can be amplified to efficiently prepare more inherently chiral calix[4]arenes in ABHH substitution pattern.     

An inherently chiral calix[4]crown carboxylic acid in the 1,2-alternate conformation

For better understanding of the structure/property relationship of inherently chiral calixarenes in the 1,2-alternate conformation, we designed and synthesized an inherently chiral calix[4]crown-4 carboxylic acid 1,2-alternate conformer. Resolution of the racemates was effected by condensation with (S)-BINOL as a chiral auxiliary and separation of the resultant diastereomers via preparative TLC plates, followed by hydrolysis of the isolated diastereomers to afford enantiopure antipodes of the title compound. Preliminary property study revealed that the title compound has the ability to enantioselectively discriminate 2-phenylglycinol by ¹H NMR spectroscopy.     

Efficient syntheses and resolutions of inherently chiral calix[4]quinolines in the cone and partial-cone conformation

[structure: see text] The syntheses of five pairs of novel inherently chiral calix[4]arenes are described. Two synthetic routes were adopted to generate racemic 3-carboxylic or 2-carboxylic group substituted calix[4]quinolines in the cone or the partial-cone conformation, respectively. The chiral products were thoroughly characterized by various spectroscopic methods. The optical resolutions of chiral calix[4]quinolines 5, 6, 11, and 17 were successfully achieved through the separation of their diastereomers using common column chromatography or preparative TLC. The chirality of compound 20 was proven by the splitting of the 1H NMR signals in the presence of Pirkle's reagent. The 1H NMR features of the diastereomers are discussed. The CD spectra of each pair of enantiomers showed excellent mirror images. The experimental results disclose that 3-carboxylic calix[4]quinolines can be resolved more easily than the 2-carboxylic ones in both the cone conformation and the partial-cone conformation.     

Acid-promoted rearrangement of carbonate functionality anchored to the lower rim of a Calix

A unique calix[4]arene lower-rim intramolecular rearrangement, resulting in molecular asymmetry arising from the upper- and lower-rim substitution pattern, produces a new class of inherently chiral calix[4]arenes in a partial cone conformation. This was aided by molecular rigidification arising from pi-pi and C-H.pi interactions between bulky lower-rim substituents, with the corresponding circular dichroism spectra exhibiting the most intense bisignate Cotton effects yet observed for calix[4]arenes not bearing a chiral center.     

Calixarenes and calix[4]resorcinarenes as chiral NMR solvating agents

Calixarenes (CAs) and calix[4]resorcinarenes are cavity compounds, chiral analogues of which have the potential to be used as reagents for the differentiation of enantiomers in NMR spectroscopy. The nature of the substituent groups attached to the cavity permits the preparation of organic- or water-soluble analogues. In NMR applications, chirality of the CAs or calix[4]resorcinarene is usually achieved through the attachment of enantiomerically pure substituent groups. The use of inherently chiral analogues for chiral differentiation is less common. The range of CAs and calix[4]resorcinarenes that have been used for chiral analysis in NMR spectroscopy is reviewed.     

Synthesis and optical resolution of a series of inherently chiral calix[4]crowns with cone and partial cone conformations

A series of inherently chiral calix[4]arenes with cone and partial cone conformations and with crown ether moieties of variable size have been readily synthesized. By taking advantage of the carboxy appendage on the lower rim, these were condensed with the chiral auxiliary (S)-BINOL to form diastereomers which, in most cases, could be separated by preparative TLC, or more desirably, by column chromatography on silica gel (diastereomeric excess >99 % based on HPLC analysis). Seven enantiopure antipodes of inherently chiral calix[4]crowns were obtained after hydrolysis. It has been found that both the size of the crown moiety and alkylation of the last phenolic hydroxy group (accompanied with or without a change in the conformation) affect the separation of the diastereomers.     

Preparation of both antipodes of enantiopure inherently chiral calix[4]crowns

Both antipodes of enantiopure inherently chiral calix[4]crown derivatives were successfully obtained through separation of their BINOL diastereomeric derivatives of corresponding racemates using preparative TLC instead of conventional HPLC methods. Such a result provides a basis for future study of chiral recognition and asymmetric catalysis with inherently chiral calixrene derivatives.     

Stereoselective synthesis and optical resolution of chiral calix[4]arenes with mixed ligating functionalities

Exhaustive alkylation of syn-proximal bis[(2-pyridylmethyl)oxy]calix[4]arene 1 with t-butyl bromoacetate or 2-(chloromethyl)quinoline hydrochloride in the presence of Cs₂CO₃ affords selectively a new type of inherently chiral calix[4]arenes 2a,b in the partial cone conformation. (±) 2b has been resolved into its optical antipodes by an HPLC method.     

Stereochemical control of calixarenes useful as rigid and conformationally diversiform platforms for molecular design

Stereochemical problems and related functions of calix[4]arenes, calix[6]arenes and their chiral derivatives have been reviewed. In p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene (1H₄) and its mono-, di-, tri-, and tetra-O-alkyl derivatives (1H₃R, 1H₂R₂,1HR₃, and 1R₄, respectively), 23 different homologues can exist (including 1H₄). We found that the OH group in the unmodified phenol unit is permeable through the calix[4]arene ring. Thus, several conformational isomers become equivalent after the ‘oxygen-through-the-annulus’ rotation of the OH group and the number of possible homologues is reduced to 13 (including 1H₃). We report in this paper the syntheses of all of these possible conformational isomers using a protection-deprotection method with a benzyl group and metal template effects. On the other hand, all possible chiral isomers that can be derived from calix[4]arene by modification of the OH groups have been systematically classified. Molecular asymmetry can be generated not only by different substituents but also by conformational isomerism. The numbers of chiral isomers are 17 for tetra-O-substituted calix[4]arenes, 9 for tri-O-substituted calix[4]arenes, 3 for di-O-substituted calix[4]arenes, and 0 for mono-O-substituted calix[4]arenes. Chiral calix[4]arenes can also be designed by the introduction of a substituent into the m-position of a phenol unit or by the use of a dissymmetric ‘stapling reaction’ in proximal phenol units. In p-tert-butylcalix[6]arene, the conformational behaviour is totally different from that in p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene. A large degree of conformational freedom remains in the framework, and both ‘oxygen-through-the-annulus rotation’ and ‘para-substituent-through-the-annulus rotation’ can take place. However, when metal cations are bound to calix[6]aryl esters, the conformation is changed to a cone type. Bridging and capping are powerful methods to immobilize the conformation of calix[6]arenes. In addition, definitive evidence for ring immobilization was obtained from the absence of racemization in the chiral calix[6]arene. A successful example of chiral recognition for α-amino acid derivatives was achieved by using chiral homooxacalix[3]arene which has ‘pseudo C₂ symmetry’. These examples indicate that calixarenes serve as rigid and conformationally diversiform platforms for the design of novel functional supramolecules.     

Synthesis of novel chiral Schiff base and amino alcohol derivatives of calix[4]arene and chiral recognition properties

In the present study, the synthesis and liquid phase extraction properties towards some amino acid methylesters and amino alcohols of Schiff base and amino alcohol substituted calix[4]arene are reported. The Schiff base substituted calix[4]arene 5 has been synthesized via condensation reaction involving 5,17-diformyl-11,23-di-tert-butyl-25,27-di[3-(4-formylphenoxy)propoxy]-26,28 dihydroxycalix[4]arene 4 and (R)-(?)-2-phenylglycine methyl ester in CHCl₃:MeOH. To give the amino alcohol substituted calix[4]arene 6, the synthesized chiral compound 5 was reduced by LiAlH₄. The new chiral Schiff base and amino alcohol derivatives of calix[4]arene have been characterized by a combination of FT-IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, FAB-MS and elemental analysis. Also, the extraction behaviors of 5 and 6 towards some selected amino acid methylesters and amino alcohols have been studied by liquid–liquid extraction.     

A new approach to enantiopure inherently chiral calix[4]arenes: determination of their absolute configurations

A new approach to the synthesis of meta-substituted enantiopure inherently chiral calix[4]arenes by introducing L-Boc-proline as dual functions of the chiral auxiliary has been described. Moreover, the absolute configurations of the enantiomers were determined by CD spectra, X-ray crystallographic analysis, and the chemical derivative method.     

Synthesis of chiral calix[4]arenes bearing tartaric ester moieties

The synthesis of chiral calix[4]arenes with tartaric acid ester moieties has been achieved by the reactions of tartaric ester chloroacetates with calix[4]arenes in moderate yields. All the chiral calix[4]arene derivatives are in a cone conformation according to the ¹H NMR doublet–doublet pattern of the protons of the methylene groups between the phenol rings. The results of NMR and specific rotations indicate that the molecules have C₂ symmetry with asymmetric features.