Surface enhanced Raman optical activity (SEROA)

Raman optical activity (ROA) directly monitors the stereochemistry of chiral molecules and is now an incisive probe of biomolecular structure. ROA spectra contain a wealth of information on tertiary folding, secondary structure and even the orientation of individual residues in proteins and nucleic acids. Extension of ROA to an even wider range of samples could be facilitated by coupling its structural sensitivity to the low-concentration sensitivity provided by plasmon resonance enhancement. This leads to the new technique of surface enhanced ROA, or SEROA, which is complementary to both SERS and ROA. In this tutorial review, we present a survey of theoretical and experimental work undertaken to develop SEROA and discuss these efforts in the context of the ROA technique, and, based on the authors' work, outline possible future directions of research for this novel chiroptical spectroscopy.     

(+)-Apollineanin: a new flavanone from Tephrosia apollinea

Chemical investigation of the leaves of Tephrosia apollinea has yielded a new flavanone named (+)-apollineanin, together with two known flavones: (-)-semiglabrin and (-)-semiglabrinol. The structure of the new compound was determined on the basis of mass, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopies including NOE difference spectroscopy. The absolute stereochemistry of (+)-apollineanin was determined by Mosher ester methodology and from CD data.     

Relative and Absolute Configuration of Allohedycaryol. Enantiospecific Total Synthesis of Its Enantiomer

The enantiomer of (+)-allohedycaryol, a germacrane alcohol isolated from giant fennel (Ferula communis L.), has been synthesized, thereby elucidating the relative and absolute stereochemistry of the natural product. The synthesis of (-)-allohedycaryol started from (+)-alpha-cyperone (5) which was available in relatively large quantities via alkylation of imine 7 derived from (+)-dihydrocarvone and (R)-(+)-1-phenylethylamine. In a number of steps 5 was converted into the mesylate 4with a regio- and stereoselective epoxidation as the key step. A Marshall fragmentation of 4 was used to prepare the trans,trans-cyclodeca-1,6-diene ring present in allohedycaryol. The conformation of synthetic (-)-allohedycaryol was elucidated via photochemical conversion into a bourbonane system. The synthesis of (-)-allohedycaryol also showed that natural (+)-allohedycaryol has the opposite absolute stereochemistry to that normally found in higher plants.     

Syntheses of (+)-alismoxide and (+)-4-epi-alismoxide

The first total syntheses of (+)-alismoxide and (+)-4-epi-alismoxide are reported. Formal chemo-, regio-, and stereoselective addition of water to 10alpha-acetoxy-1alphaH,5betaH-guaia-3,6-diene afforded the target compounds after reduction. The absolute stereochemistry of (+)-alismoxide has been established. The low [alpha](D) +8.6 value indicates that significant amounts of alismoxide result from biosynthetic processes. Furthermore, the structure of the natural guaienediol isolated from Silphium perfoliatum has been corrected to (-)-alismoxide.     

The absolute configurations of (+)-usnic and (+)-isousnic acid. X-ray analyses of the (−)-α-phenylethylamine derivative of (+)-usnic acid and of (−)-pseudoplacodiolic acid,a new dibenzofuran,from the lichen Rhizoplaca chrysoleuca.

The absolute configuration of (+)-usnic acid has been shown to be (4aR) as in (1) by X-ray analysis of the (?)-α-phenylethylamine derivative (2). The structure and absolute stereochemistry of (?)-pseudoplacodiolic acid (4) have been established.     

Direct coupling of indoles with carbonyl compounds: short, enantioselective, gram-scale synthetic entry into the hapalindole and fischerindole alkaloid families

The invention of a method for the direct union of indoles and carbonyl compounds (ketones, amides, esters) is described. Using this new method, a short, enantioselective, gram-scale and protecting group-free synthetic entry to the fischerindole and hapalindole indole alkaloid family has been achieved from carvone and indole. Total syntheses of (+)-hapalindole Q and (-)-12-epi-fischerindole U isothiocyanate are reported. The absolute stereochemistry of the latter natural product has also been determined.     

Determination of the absolute configuration of three as-hydrindacene compounds by vibrational circular dichroism

[Structure: see text]. The absolute configurations of three compounds with a rigid 1,8-disubstituted as-hydrindacene skeleton have been determined using vibrational circular dichroism spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations. Experimental spectra were compared to B3LYP/6-31G and B3LYP/cc-pVTZ level predicted spectra. Based on the agreement between the predicted and experimental spectra, the stereochemistry could be assigned with high confidence. The results were found to be in agreement with ECD determinations and/or predictions based on the applied asymmetric methods in the synthetic route.     

Experimental and theoretical investigations of absolute stereochemistry and chiroptical properties of enantiopure 2,2′-substituted 9,9′-bianthryls

The absolute stereochemistry of axially chiral 2,2′-X₂-9,9′-bianthryls (X=COOH, COOMe, and Cl) was determined by X-ray analysis of the (+)-quinidine salt of the diacid to be (M)-(−) or (P)-(+). The M isomers of these compounds showed specific rotations of −115, −123, and −32, respectively, in acetone. The circular dichroism (CD) as well as UV spectra of the two M isomers (X=COOMe and Cl) were investigated with the aid of theoretical calculations by the time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) method. The calculations reasonably reproduced the observed CD bands, and suggested a correlation between the signs of p or β′ bands and the absolute stereochemistry.     

Conformational analyses of peptides and proteins by vibrational Raman optical activity

Recent developments of vibrational Raman optical activity (ROA) spectroscopy enabled the detailed analyses of the backbone and side chain conformations of peptides and proteins in solution phases. ROA can be used as a powerful analytical technique for determining not only the structures of conformers, but also their populations even for systems in fast conformational equilibria where NMR spectroscopy is difficult to be applied. ROA enabled the monitoring of the secondary structures of denatured or unfolded proteins, such as an amyloid fibril and its prefibril intermediates.     

Benzyl 2-cyano-3,3-dimethyl-1-pyrrolidinecarboxylate, a versatile intermediate for the synthesis of 3,3-dimethylproline derivatives

The synthesis of racemic nitrile (+/-)-9 was accomplished in four steps and 58% overall yield from the known pyrrolidinone 5. Nitrile (+/-)-9 was resolved via preparative chiral HPLC to afford optically pure nitriles (+)-9 and (-)-9, from which 3,3-dimethylprolines (+)-1 and (-)-1 and 3,3-dimethylprolinamides (+)-2 and (-)-2 could be accessed in nearly quantitative yield, without loss of optical purity. The absolute configurations of the resolved prolines and prolinamides were determined by correlation with an intermediate of known absolute stereochemistry.     

Chiroptical spectroscopy and the validation of crystal structure stereochemical assignments

The absolute stereochemistry of chiral molecules is ideally established to atomic resolution by X-ray crystallographic analysis. However, chiroptical spectroscopies, namely electronic circular dichroism (ECD), optical rotatory dispersion (ORD), vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) and Raman optical activity (ROA), play important complementary roles in establishing relative and absolute sterochemistries as well as allowing determinations of optical purity. A brief summary of chiroptical spectroscopies is presented, along with guidance to their advantages and disadvantages. The application of ECD to verifying that single crystals selected for crystallographic analysis are indeed representative of bulk material is described.     

Circular dichroism studies on absolute configuration assignment of peptidomimetics with a terminal chiral 3-arylpropionic acid unit

The relationship between the molecular structure of peptidomimetics 1 and their chiroptical properties has been studied using circular dichroism spectroscopy. It was demonstrated that the sign of the Cotton effects occurring around 230 and 270 nm enables the direct assignment of stereochemistry at C-1 and C-3 carbon atoms. The TD-DFT calculations of the circular dichroism (CD) spectrum of one of the model compounds confirm the absolute stereochemistry assignment made experimentally. Thus, CD spectroscopy proved to be a simple, reliable and general tool for the determination of the absolute configuration of the stereogenic centers of peptidomimetics with a terminal 3-arylpropionic group.     

Prediction of Raman Optical Activity Spectra of Chiral 3‐Acetylcamphorato‐Cobalt Complexes

We examine calculated vibrational Raman optical activity (ROA) spectra of octahedral cobalt complexes containing different combinations of acetylacetonato and 3‐acetylcamphorato ligands. Starting from the Δ‐tris(acetylacetonato)cobalt(III) complex, the ROA spectra of isomers generated by successive replacement of acetylacetonato ligands by chiral (+)‐ or (?)‐3‐acetylcamphorato ligands are investigated. In this way, it is possible to assess the influence of the degree of ligand substitution, ligand chirality, and geometrical isomerism on the ROA spectra. In addition, the effect of the Λ‐configuration is studied. It is found that the ROA spectra contain features that make it possible to identify each of the isomers, demonstrating the great sensitivity of ROA spectroscopy to the chiral nature of the various complexes.     

Detection of Circularly Polarized Luminescence of a Cs‐EuIII Complex in Raman Optical Activity Experiments

Circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) spectra are extremely sensitive to molecular structure. However, conventional CPL measurements are difficult and require expensive instrumentation. As an alternative, we explore CPL using Raman scattering and Raman optical activity (ROA) spectroscopy. The cesium tetrakis(3‐heptafluoro‐butylryl‐(+)‐camphorato) europium(III) complex was chosen as a model as it is known to exhibit very large CPL dissymmetry ratio. The fluorescent bands could be discriminated from true Raman signals by comparison of spectra acquired with different laser excitation wavelengths. Furthermore, the ROA technique enables fluorescence identification by measuring the degree of circularity. The CPL dissymmetry ratio was measured as the ROA circular intensity difference of 0.71, the largest one ever reported. The alternative CPL measurement enhances applications of lanthanides in analytical chemistry and chemical imaging of biological objects.     

Divergent total syntheses of (-)-aspidospermine and (+)-spegazzinine

Divergent total syntheses of (+)-spegazzinine (1) and (-)-aspidospermine (2) and their extensions to the synthesis of C19-epi-aspidospermine and C3-epi-spegazzinine are detailed, confirming the relative stereochemistry and establishing the absolute configuration of (+)-spegazzinine. A powerful intramolecular [4 + 2]/[3 + 2] cycloaddition cascade of a 1,3,4-oxadiazole provided the pentacyclic skeleton and all the requisite stereochemistry of the natural products in a single reaction that forms three rings, four C-C bonds, and five stereocenters.     

Synthesis and Assignment of the Absolute Configuration of Indenotryptoline Bisindole Alkaloid BE-54017

Synthesis of the indenotryptoline bisindole alkaloid, BE-54017, was accomplished using osmium-promoted cis-dihydroxylation of maleimide as a key step. After optical resolution, the absolute configuration of this molecule was determined by comparing its optical rotation and HPLC profile to those obtained for BE-54017 derived from enantiopure cladoniamide A, whose stereochemistry has been reported previously. BE-54017 with the correct absolute stereochemistry induced apoptosis of epidermal growth factor (EGF)-stimulated EGF receptor overexpressing A431 cells and inhibited vacuolar-type H(+)-ATPase (V-ATPase).     

Determination of the absolute structure of (+)-akaterpin

We describe the total synthesis and structural determination of (+)-akaterpin (1), an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC). The key features of the synthetic strategy include the resolution of β,γ-unsaturated ketone (±)-2a with chiral sulfoximine 6. The absolute stereochemistry was determined by comparison of the specific optical rotation data of (+)-1 and (-)-1 with that of natural akaterpin.     

Absolute configuration of a rare dibenzoylmethane derivative from Dahlstedtia glaziovii (Fabaceae)

Dibenzoylmethanes (DBMs) belong to a small group of flavonoids, known as β-hydroxychalcones, rarely found in nature. Despite their biological and chemotaxonomic importance, the absolute configuration of C-8 substituted DBMs has never been reported. Herein, the absolute stereochemistry of 2′-methoxy-8-(α-α-dimethylallyl)-[3′,4′:4″,5″]-furan-dibenzoylmethane is determined using the VCD exciton chirality method, which may be safely applied to other members of this class.     

Computational Interpretation of Vibrational Optical Activity: The ROA Spectra of (4S)‐4‐Methylisochromane and the (4S)‐Isomers of Galaxolide®

The reliable computation of Raman‐optical‐activity (ROA) spectra of molecules of the size of the title compounds has, until now, not been possible. We show that our rarefied basis sets yield results in good agreement with the experimental data for (4S)‐4‐methylisochromane (=(4S)‐3,4‐dihydro‐4‐methyl‐1H‐2‐benzopyran; 1 ), provided the equilibrium between the pseudo‐equatorial and the pseudo‐axial conformers is taken into account. Comparison between the measured and the computed ROA back‐scattering spectra allows the unequivocal assignment of the absolute configuration of the molecule. Comparison with more‐approximate calculations for the larger (4S)‐isomers of Galaxolide^® ( 2 ), which contain the (4S)‐4‐methylisochromane moiety, shows large‐scale group frequencies on the same chiral fragments of the two molecules. The data confirm that ROA can be generated by interactions extending over several bonds, i.e., over larger distances than can be probed by NMR spectroscopy. Thus, the absolute configuration at C(7) of Galaxolide^® is assignable independently of that at C(4). The computation of ROA for forward‐scattering, which will soon be measurable for Galaxolide^®, suggests that this scattering geometry provides additional stereochemical information that will be valuable in situations where absolute configurations at several stereogenic centers have to be assigned.     

Determining the absolute configuration of two marine compounds using vibrational chiroptical spectroscopy

Chiroptical techniques are increasingly employed for assigning the absolute configuration of chiral molecules through comparison of experimental spectra with theoretical predictions. For assignment of natural products, electronic chiroptical spectroscopies such as electronic circular dichroism (ECD) are routinely applied. However, the sensitivity of electronic spectral parameters to experimental conditions and the theoretical methods employed can lead to incorrect assignments. Vibrational chiroptical methods (vibrational circular dichroism, VCD, and Raman optical activity, ROA) provide more reliable assignments, although they, in particular ROA, have been little explored for assignments of natural products. In this study, the ECD, VCD, and ROA chiroptical spectroscopies are evaluated for the assignment of the absolute configuration of a highly flexible natural compound with two stereocenters and an asymmetrically substituted double bond, the marine antibiotic Synoxazolidinone A (SynOxA), recently isolated from the sub-Arctic ascidian Synoicum pulmonaria. Conformationally averaged nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), ECD, Raman, ROA, infrared (IR) and VCD spectral parameters are computed for the eight possible stereoisomers of SynOxA and compared to experimental results. In contrast to previously reported results, the stereochemical assignment of SynOxA based on ECD spectral bands is found to be unreliable. On the other hand, ROA spectra allow for a reliable determination of the configuration at the double bond and the ring stereocenter. However, ROA is not able to resolve the chlorine-substituted stereogenic center on the guanidinium side chain of SynOxA. Application of the third chiroptical method, VCD, indicates unique spectral features for all eight SynOxA isomers in the theoretical spectra. Although the experimental VCD is weak and restricted by the limited amount of sample, it allows for a tentative assignment of the elusive chlorine-substituted stereocenter. VCD chiroptical analysis of a SynOxA derivative with three stereocenters, SynOxC, results in the same absolute configuration as for SynOxA. Despite the experimental challenges, the results convincingly prove that the assignment of absolute configuration based on vibrational chiroptical methods is more reliable than for ECD.