Asymmetric autocatalysis induced by chiral hydrocarbon [2.2]paracyclophanes

Chiral hydrocarbon [2.2]paracyclophanes act as chiral initiators in asymmetric autocatalysis in the addition of diisopropylzinc to pyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde and give highly enantiomerically enriched 5-pyrimidyl alkanol with a reversed sense of the enantioselectivity to that of other [2.2]paracyclophanes with heteroatoms.     

Asymmetric autocatalysis of pyrimidyl alkanol and related compounds. Self-replication,amplification of chirality and implication for the origin of biological enantioenriched chirality

We discovered asymmetric autocatalysis in the enantioselective addition of diisopropylzinc to pyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde, where the product 5-pyrimidyl alkanol acts as a highly efficient asymmetric autocatalyst to afford more of itself (Soai reaction). Asymmetric autocatalysis proceeded quantitatively (>99% yield), affording itself as a near enantiomerically pure (>99.5% ee) product. An extremely low enantiomeric excess (ca. 0.00005% ee) can automultiply during three rounds of consecutive asymmetric autocatalysis to >99.5% ee by asymmetric amplification. Circularly polarized light, and inorganic and organic crystals, act as the origin of chirality to trigger asymmetric autocatalysis. Asymmetric autocatalysis has enormous power to recognize and amplify the chirality of hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen isotopomers. Moreover, absolute asymmetric synthesis, i.e., the formation of enantioenriched compounds without the intervention of any chiral factor, is realized by asymmetric autocatalysis. By using designed molecules based on 5-pyrimidyl alkanol, the intramolecular asymmetric control, self-replication, and improvement of chiral multifunctionalized large molecules has been developed by applying asymmetric autocatalysis.     

Chiral discrimination of cryptochiral saturated quaternary and tertiary hydrocarbons by asymmetric autocatalysis

Chiral discrimination of saturated hydrocarbons has been very difficult to establish, or has not been possible at all. The first chiral discrimination of cryptochiral 5-ethyl-5-propylundecane 1, that is, (n-butyl)ethyl(n-hexyl)(n-propyl)methane, a chiral saturated quaternary hydrocarbon, which is known to exhibit practically no detectable value of optical rotation between 280 and 580 nm, has been accomplished by asymmetric autocatalysis of pyrimidyl alkanol. The absolute configuration of 1 has been determined. In the presence of (R)- or (S)-1, the reaction between pyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde and diisopropylzinc affords (S)- and (R)-pyrimidyl alkanol with 91-97% ee, respectively. Thus, asymmetric autocatalysis serves as a powerful tool for the chiral discrimination of saturated hydrocarbons.     

Amplification of chirality as a pathway to biological homochirality

Amplification of enantiomeric enrichment is a key feature for the chemical evolution of biological homochirality from the origin of chirality. The aggregations of the enantiomers by diastereomeric interactions enable the modification of their enantiomeric excess during some chemical processes. Fluorine-containing chiral compounds possess large amplification effect via distillation, sublimation and achiral chromatography by self-disproportionation. Asymmetric amplifications in enantioselective catalysis occur by the differential formation and reactivity between homochiral and heterochiral aggregate in solution.We described the amplification of ee in asymmetric autocatalysis of 5-pyrimidyl alkanol in the reaction between diisopropylzinc and pyrimidine-5-carbaldehdye. During the reactions extremely low ee (ca. 0.00005% ee) can be amplified to achieve more than 99.5% ee. Since the proposed origins of chirality such as CPL, quartz, chiral organic crystals of achiral compounds and statistical fluctuation of ee can initiate the asymmetric autocatalysis with amplification of ee, the proposed origin of chirality can be linked with enantiopure organic compound in conjunction with amplification of ee by asymmetric autocatalysis. In addition, we described that the carbon isotopically chiral compound triggers the asymmetric autocatalysis of 5-pyrimiodyl alkanol to afford the enantioenriched product with the absolute configuration correlated with that of carbon isotope chirality, that is, isotope chirality including hydrogen isotopes can control the enantioselectivity of asymmetric addition of alkyl metal reagent to aldehyde.     

Enantioselective synthesis of near enantiopure compound by asymmetric autocatalysis triggered by asymmetric photolysis with circularly polarized light

Right- and left-handed circularly polarized light (CPL) has been proposed as one of the origins of homochirality of biomolecules. However, the enantiomeric excess induced by CPL has been only very low (<2% ee). We found the unprecedented example of asymmetric autocatalysis triggered directly by a chiral physical factor, that is, right- and left-handed CPL, leading to a near enantiopure compound. Asymmetric photolysis of racemic pyrimidyl alkanol by r-CPL irradiation followed by asymmetric autocatalysis affords (R)-pyrimidyl alkanol with >99.5% ee. On the other hand, irradiation with l-CPL affords (S)-pyrimidyl alkanol with >99.5% ee. Thus, chiral physical power, such as CPL, in conjunction with asymmetric autocatalysis, provides a highly enantioenriched compound.     

Enantioselective synthesis induced by tetrathia-[7]-helicenes in conjunction with asymmetric autocatalysis

Highly enantioenriched 5-pyrimidyl alkanol was formed using tetrathia-[7]-helicenes as a chiral initiator in the enantioselective addition of diisopropylzinc to pyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde, in conjunction with asymmetric autocatalysis.     

Highly enantioselective synthesis of organic compound using right- and left-handed helical silica

Highly enantiomerically enriched (up to 96-97% ee) 5-pyrimidyl alkanol was obtained by the addition of diisopropylzinc to pyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde in the presence of the artificially designed chiral inorganic material, right- and left-handed helical silica.     

Relationship between the time,yield, and enantiomeric excess of asymmetric autocatalysis of chiral 2-alkynyl-5-pyrimidyl alkanol with amplification of enantiomeric excess

Experimental and kinetic analysis of asymmetric autocatalysis with amplification of ee in the enantioselective addition of diisopropylzinc to 2-alkynylpyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde using chiral 2-alkynyl-5-pyrimidyl alkanol with low ee's are described.     

Enantioselective synthesis induced by chiral organic-inorganic hybrid silsesquioxane in conjunction with asymmetric autocatalysis

5-Pyrimidyl alkanol with up to 96% ee was formed using chiral organic-inorganic hybrid silsesquioxane in the enantioselective addition of diisopropylzinc to pyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde, in conjunction with asymmetric autocatalysis.     

Asymmetric synthesis of pyrimidyl alkanol without adding chiral substances by the addition of diisopropylzinc to pyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde in conjunction with asymmetric autocatalysis

Enantiomerically enriched pyrimidyl alkanol with either S or R configuration was obtained stochastically from the reaction between pyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde and diisopropylzinc without adding chiral substances in conjunction with subsequent asymmetric autocatalysis, leading to amplification of the enantiomeric excess.     

Chiral secondary alcohol-induced asymmetric autocatalysis: correlation between the absolute configuration of the chiral initiators and the product

In the presence of various chiral secondary alcohols as chiral initiators, an enantioselective alkylation of a pyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde using diisopropylzinc was examined: a pyrimidyl alkanol was obtained in high yield and enantiomeric excess. The correlation between the absolute configuration of the chiral secondary alcohols and the pyrimidyl alkanol is discussed.     

Asymmetric autocatalysis: triggered by chiral isotopomer arising from oxygen isotope substitution

Trigger happy: Chiral oxygen isotopomers of hydrobenzoin ([(18) O](R)-1 and [(18) O](S)-1) acted as chiral triggers to induce the enantioselective addition of iPr(2) Zn to pyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde. An extremely small chiral influence arising from the presence of the oxygen isotope ((18) O) is amplified through asymmetric autocatalysis to enantioenrich the 5-pyrimidyl alkanol product.     

Determination of absolute configurations of amino acids by asymmetric autocatalysis of 2-alkynylpyrimidyl alkanol as a chiral sensor

Asymmetric autocatalysis of 2-alkynyl-5-pyrimidyl alkanol is employed as a chiral sensor of 20 amino acids. Asymmetric autocatalysis using amino acids as chiral initiators gave pyrimidyl alkanols of the absolute configurations that were correlated with those of the amino acids. The enantiomeric excesses of pyrimidyl alkanol are invariably high even when the enantiomeric excess of amino acids is as low as 0.1%. Thus, by determining the absolute configuration of pyrimidyl alkanol with high enantiomeric excess, one can determine the absolute configuration of amino acids even when their enantiomeric excess is low.     

Enantioselective synthesis utilizing enantiomorphous organic crystal of achiral benzils as a source of chirality in asymmetric autocatalysis

Chiral crystals of achiral benzils act as efficient chiral initiators of asymmetric autocatalysis to afford highly enantioenriched pyrimidyl alkanols whose absolute configurations depend upon the enantiomorph of the crystal used in conjunction with asymmetric autocatalysis with amplification of enantiomeric excess.     

Evidence of asymmetric autocatalysis in the enantioselective addition of diisopropylzinc to pyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde using chiral pyrimidyl alkanol

Kinetic analysis of the relationship between the reaction time and the yields of the product in the enantioselective addition of diisopropylzinc to pyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde using chiral pyrimidyl alkanol proves that the reaction is autocatalytic.     

Crystal Structure of the Isopropylzinc Alkoxide of Pyrimidyl Alkanol: Mechanistic Insights for Asymmetric Autocatalysis with Amplification of Enantiomeric Excess

Asymmetric amplification during self‐replication is a key feature that is used to explain the origin of homochirality. Asymmetric autocatalysis of pyrimidyl alkanol in the asymmetric addition of diisopropylzinc to pyrimidine‐5‐carbaldehyde is a unique example of this phenomenon. Crystallization of zinc alkoxides of this 5‐pyrimidyl alkanol and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis of the alkoxide crystals reveal the existence of tetramer or higher oligomer structures in this asymmetric autocatalytic system.     

Highly Enantioselective Asymmetric Autocatalysis of Pyrimidin‐5‐yl Alkanol Induced by Chiral 1,3‐Disubstituted Hydrocarbon Allenes

1,3‐Disubstituted chiral allenes without any heteroatoms act as chiral initiators in the addition of (i‐Pr)₂Zn to pyrimidine‐5‐carbaldehyde to afford, in combination with the subsequent asymmetric autocatalysis, chiral pyrimidin‐5‐yl alkanols with up to 98% ee. The absolute configuration of the pyrimidin‐5‐yl alkanol formed depend on that of the chiral allene.     

Asymmetric autocatalysis of a ferrocene-containing chiral compound with amplification of chirality

Chiral ferrocene-containing pyrimidyl alkanol can be efficiently synthesized via asymmetric autocatalysis as an enantiomerically pure product. Moreover, a remarkable positive nonlinear effect occurs during this autocatalytic reaction. Starting from a nearly racemic seed, it is thus possible to produce a larger amount of the same compound with high ee.     

Asymmetric autocatalysis of 5-carbamoyl-3-pyridyl alkanols with amplification of enantiomeric excess

5-Carbamoyl-3-pyridyl alkanols with low e.e. act as asymmetric autocatalysts in the consecutive asymmetric autocatalytic addition of diisopropylzinc to 5-carbamoyl-3-pyridinecarbaldehydes. The e.e. of pyridyl alkanol amplified up to 88% e.e. without the need for any other chiral auxiliary.     

Enantioselective synthesis induced by chiral crystal composed of DL-serine in conjunction with asymmetric autocatalysis

Asymmetric autocatalysis initiated by chiral crystals containing racemic DL-serine was achieved. P- and M-crystals of DL-serine acted as the source of chirality of asymmetric autocatalysis to afford highly enantioenriched (>99.5% ee) (S)- and (R)-pyrimidylalkanols after the amplification of ee. This is the first example of the usage of the crystal, which contains the same number of D- and L-enantiomers as an origin of chirality in enantioselective synthesis.