The Circular Dichroism of 5,6-Dimethylidene-2-bicyclo[2.2.n]alky Esters. Chiral Exciton Coupling between Benzoate and Exocyclic s-cis-Butadiene Chromophores

The optically pure aryl-substituted 5,6-dimethylidene-2-bicyclo[2.2.1]heptyl benzoates 12–21 were prepared; their UV absorption and CD spectra are reported. The (?)-(1S,2S)-esters 17–21 with carbonyl groups in endo-position exhibit typical excitonsplit Cotton effects whereas the corresponding (?)-(1S,2R)-esters 12 - 16 with carbonyl groups in exo-position do not present such effects. The chiral exciton coupling between the exocyclic diene and a remote p-substituted benzoate chromophore can be used for unambiguous assignment of the absolute configuration of 5,6-dimethylidene-2-endo-bicyclo[2.2.1]heptyl derivatives. The method is applied to establish the absolute configuration of 5,6-dimethylidene-2-exo and -2-endo-bicyclo[2.2.2.]octyl p-bromobenzoates (?)- 24 and (?)- 25 .