Deuterium NMR stereochemical analysis of threo–erythro isomers bearing remote stereogenic centres in racemic and non-racemic liquid crystalline solvents

We report the proton-decoupled deuterium NMR study of labelled diastereomers with remote stereogenic carbons dissolved in various mixtures of poly-γ-benzyl-l-glutamate (PBLG) and poly-γ-benzyl-d-glutamate (PBDG) liquid crystalline solutions. The evolution of quadrupolar splitting as well as the diastereomeric and the enantiomeric discrimination versus the proportion of PBLG and PBDG in the liquid crystalline phase is studied. It is shown that racemic liquid crystalline solutions of PBLG and PBDG may be used to measure diastereomeric excess (de). Thereafter the spectrum in PBLG solution allows for measuring the enantiomeric excess (ee) of each diastereomer. These first results suggest substantial prospects in the field of the analysis of diastereomers with remote stereogenic carbons.     

Self-disproportionation of enantiomers of prazoles via achiral,gravity-driven silica gel column chromatography

(R)-Lansoprazole, (S)-pantoprazole, and (R)-rabeprazole are commonly used drugs for peptic ulcers. The self-disproportionation of the enantiomers of these prazoles in regular column chromatography is described herein. When non-racemic mixtures of the prazoles were eluted under achiral, gravity-driven silica gel column chromatography conditions, enantiomeric enrichment occurred in the first fractions, while enantiomeric depletion occurred in the last fractions. The pure enantiomers of all prazoles can be prepared from non-racemic starting materials using a simple procedure (achiral chromatography). Thus, a new method for obtaining a sample with very high enantiomeric purity was established. These results suggested that caution is required to avoid enantiomer fractionation during the purification of the asymmetric synthesis products by chromatography.     

Attempts to explain the self-disproportionation observed in the partial sublimation of enantiomerically enriched carboxylic acids

The partial sublimation of two carboxylic acids, the mandelic acid and ibuprofen has been studied. Many (RS) + (S) samples with various enantiomeric excesses (ee) have been slowly and partially sublimed at a low temperature and the sublimates have been condensed before analysis. About 1% of the starting material was sublimed in each experiment. The results are reproducible showing that the sublimation is under control. The ee of sublimates are comparable to the ee of the eutectic but also to those obtained by mixing the sublimates of two apparatuses used to sublime separately the racemate and the enantiomer. Thus, the sublimations of both carboxylic acids could be controlled by the saturated vapor pressure of the components ((RS) and (S)) or, as usually proposed, by the formation of a gas phase with a eutectic composition. In the case of mandelic acid, a definitive answer has been given by the partial sublimation of (S) + (R) solid mixtures where sublimates with a eutectic composition have been obtained and without any indication of the sublimation of a “kinetic conglomerate”. This study paves the way for future investigations on the slow and partial sublimation of enantioenriched compounds to determine how this latter occurs.     

Synthesis of non-racemic nitrogen-containing diselenides as efficient precursor catalysts in the diethylzinc addition to benzaldehyde

Short synthetic procedures for the preparation of new chiral, non-racemic nitrogen-containing diselenides are described. Only 1 mol% of these diselenides can very efficiently catalyze the diethylzinc addition to benzaldehydes affording the secondary alcohols in high enantiomeric purities (up to 97% ee).     

Tunable solvation effects on the size-selective fractionation of metal nanoparticles in CO2 gas-expanded solvents

This paper presents an environmentally friendly, inexpensive, rapid, and efficient process for size-selective fractionation of polydisperse metal nanoparticle dispersions into multiple narrow size populations. The dispersibility of ligand-stabilized silver and gold nanoparticles is controlled by altering the ligand tails-solvent interaction (solvation) by the addition of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas as an antisolvent, thereby tailoring the bulk solvent strength. This is accomplished by adjusting the CO2 pressure over the liquid, resulting in a simple means to tune the nanoparticle precipitation by size. This study also details the influence of various factors on the size-separation process, such as the types of metal, ligand, and solvent, as well as the use of recursive fractionation and the time allowed for settling during each fractionation step. The pressure range required for the precipitation process is the same for both the silver and gold particles capped with dodecanethiol ligands. A change in ligand or solvent length has an effect on the interaction between the solvent and the ligand tails and therefore the pressure range required for precipitation. Stronger interactions between solvent and ligand tails require greater CO2 pressure to precipitate the particles. Temperature is another variable that impacts the dispersibility of the nanoparticles through changes in the density and the mole fraction of CO2 in the gas-expanded liquids. Recursive fractionation for a given system within a particular pressure range (solvent strength) further reduces the polydispersity of the fraction obtained within that pressure range. Specifically, this work utilizes the highly tunable solvent properties of organic/CO2 solvent mixtures to selectively size-separate dispersions of polydisperse nanoparticles (2 to 12 nm) into more monodisperse fractions (+/-2 nm). In addition to providing efficient separation of the particles, this process also allows all of the solvent and antisolvent to be recovered, thereby rendering it a green solvent process.     

Crystallization of chiral compounds 4. Simple physical model for reconstruction of post-eutectic DSC traces for melting of binary enantiomeric mixtures

A theoretical model reproducing qualitative and quantitative characteristics of DSC traces for melting of eutectic enantiomeric mixtures was proposed. The method for reconstruction of an idealized trace from a fragment of the real experimental melting curve was developed. When studying a sample of intermediate enantiomeric composition, the reconstruction of the trace makes it possible to avoid ambiguity in determination of the liquidus temperature, determine the melting temperature for an enantiopure compound, and estimate the composition of the sample. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1288–1293, July, 2007.     

Nonlinear effects in enantioselective chromatography: prediction of unusual elution profiles of enantiomers in non-racemic mixtures on an achiral stationary phase doped with small amounts of a chiral selector

Nonlinear effects caused by molecular association of enantiomers in non-racemic mixtures can cause unexpected effects in chiroptics, NMR spectroscopy, homogeneous catalysis, and chromatography. Herein we present a theoretical model to simulate and verify unusual elution orders of enantiomers on an achiral stationary phase doped with a small amount of a chiral selector or achiral columns coupled with columns doped with a chiral selector. Scenarios with strong, medium, and weak associations of enantiomers, different separation efficiencies typical for flash chromatography and liquid chromatography, and the influence of the enantioselectivity of the chiral selector on the complex equilibria have been investigated. The findings presented here are of importance for the validation of the determination of enantiomeric ratios in not fully separated elution zones as well as for the preparative separation of non-racemic enantiomeric mixtures on chiral stationary phases bonded to achiral matrices.     

Unexpected Behavior of Diastereomeric Ions in the GasPhase: A Stimulus for Pondering on ee Measurements by ESI-MS

The most common protocols for the quantitative determination of the enantiomeric excess (ee) of raw mixtures by ESI-MS reveal inadequate in cases where the distribution of diastereomeric derivatives diverges from the ee of original solutions. This phenomenon is attributable to a matrix effect, i.e., to the stereospecific formation of high order noncovalent adducts in the ESI droplets, which alters the actual availability of the diastereomeric species under MS analysis. In this frame, the assumption of classic protocols that the ionization correction factor q is independent on the composition of the mixture submitted to analysis is questionable. An alternative methodology is presented in this paper, which is aimed at circumventing the problem by excluding any chemical derivatization of the original raw mixture. It is based on the measurement of the actual distribution of ESI-formed proton-bound diastereomeric complexes from the enantiomeric mixture through a careful analysis of their reaction kinetics with a suitable reactant.      

Self-disproportionation of enantiomers of heterocyclic compounds having a tertiary trifluoromethyl alcohol center on chromatography with a non-chiral system

Self-disproportionation of enantiomers of heterocycles having a tertiary trifluoromethyl alcohol center on an achiral silica-gel stationary phase is discussed. During the chromatographic separation of an enantiomerically enriched mixture of 1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenethyl)-3-hydroxy-3-(trifluoromethyl)-6,7-dihydro-1H-indole-2,4(3H,5H)-dione (1) by eluting with ether on a non-chiral regular silica-gel significant enantiomeric enrichment was observed. Separation of non-racemic samples of 1 with enantiomeric excess values of 10-54% was carefully investigated: enantiomerically pure 1 with 99.9% ee was obtained by the use of 1 with at least 40% ee. A remarkable enantiomeric enrichment in the faster eluting fractions was also observed for compound 1 with only 30% ee to transform into 80% ee. Other enantiomeric mixtures of heterocyclic molecules containing a trifluoromethyl alcohol moiety at their quaternary carbon center were also examined from an SDE view point.     

Self-disproportionation of enantiomers of (R)-ethyl 3-(3,5-dinitrobenzamido)-4,4,4-trifluorobutanoate on achiral silica gel stationary phase

The very unusual phenomenon of separation of enantiomers by self-disproportionation on achiral silica gel stationary phase has been studied in detail using (R)-ethyl 3-(3,5-dinitrobenzamido)-4,4,4-trifluorobutanoate as an example. The appearance and magnitude of self-disproportionation were shown by this study to depend on the optical purity of the starting compounds and the nature (polarity) of an eluent used. Based on the results described by us and on previous literature data we conclude that it is not safe to assume that any type of chromatography is a reliable method for purification of non-racemic mixtures for determination of their enantiomeric purities. We recommend that chemists dealing with non-racemic compounds should first run an ESD-test (enantiomer self-disproportionation test) proposed herein before using chromatography for any purification. Moreover, one of the serious consequences of our finding is that all fluorine-containing chiral reagents and drugs, which are currently on the market, as well as all previously reported literature data on the stereochemical outcome of asymmetric transformations involving fluorine-containing compounds, should be carefully re-evaluated if column chromatography on silica gel was involved as a purification step.     

Prediction and experimental determination of the binary and ternary phase diagrams of (±)medetomidine hydrochloride

The binary phase diagram of medetomidine hydrochloride was determined based on thermogravimetric differential thermal (TGA/DTA) measurements. The binary phase diagram presented a eutectic point in the 19:81 [(R)/(S)] composition and the ternary phase diagram in the presence of 2-propanol showed a eutectic point in the 75:25 [(S)/(R)] composition, both characterizing the product as a racemic compound forming system. The solubility of enantiomeric mixtures in 2-propanol was measured at 10, 20 and 30 °C. The ideal solubility curves of the mixtures were calculated and the activity coefficients derived. A semi-empirical thermodynamic model UNIversal QUAsi-Chemical (UNIQUAC) was used to predict the solubility of various compositions of enantiomers at different temperatures. There was good agreement between the experimental solubility data of medetomidine hydrochloride and the results obtained from the UNIQUAC equation.     

芴和芴酮最低共熔点的测定

采用X-4数字显示显微熔点测定仪测定了不同组成的芴与芴酮混合物试样的熔点,用最小二乘法近似处理组成与熔点数据,得到芴和芴酮的最低共熔点为57.4°C,其摩尔分数为芴39%和芴酮61%。该测定芴与芴酮最低共熔点的简单方法,可用于本科生的基础化学实验教学。     

Asymmetric oxidation of 1,3-cyclohexadiene catalysed by chloroperoxidase from Caldariomyces fumago

Chloroperoxidase from Caldariomyces fumago catalyses the oxidation of prochiral 1,3-cyclohexadiene using TBHP as terminal oxidant. The process occurs enantioselectively and furnishes the non-racemic trans diols 1,2- and 1,4-dihydroxycyclohexene, (−)-3 and (+)-4, in good ee and yield.     

Complexation and eutectic crystallization in poly(2-vinyl pyridine)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone) and pentadecylphenol mixtures

Crystallization behavior via hydrogen bonding interaction in amphiphilic block copolymer/surfactant mixtures consisting of poly(2-vinyl pyridine)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone) (P2VP-PCL) and 3-pentadecylphenol (PDP) were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The P2VP-PCL/PDP mixtures exhibit eutectic crystallization behavior; the eutectic composition is approximately at 70 wt.% PDP. Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) observation revealed the microphase structure in the P2VP-PCL/PDP mixtures and the unique eutectic morphology at the eutectic composition, which was further confirmed by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) results. To our knowledge, this is the first example of eutectic crystallization observed in amphiphilic block copolymer/surfactant systems. The FTIR study proved that there are competitive hydrogen bonding interactions between P2VP block/PDP and PCL block/PDP pairs in the P2VP-PCL/PDP mixtures. On the basis of the SPM results and FTIR study, a model describing the microstructure of the P2VP-PCL/PDP eutectic mixtures is proposed. The amorphous P2VP blocks are expelled from the ordered eutectic lamellae formed by the crystalline PCL blocks and PDP, which deviates remarkably from the existing structural model proposed by other authors for poly(vinyl pyridine)/PDP and poly(styrene-block-4-vinyl pyridine)/PDP mixtures.     

Effects of organic solvents and ionic liquids on the aminolysis of (RS)-methyl mandelate catalyzed by lipases

The enzymatic resolution of (RS)-methyl mandelate with n-butylamine using lipases in organic solvents (n-hexane, tert-butanol, and chloroform) and ionic liquids [BMIm][BF₄] and [BMIm][PF₆] is reported. The amide configuration is dependent on the organic solvent. When using mixtures of chloroform or tert-butanol/ionic liquids (10:1 v/v) with CAL-B as the catalyst, the amides were obtained in high enantiomeric excess (ee_p >99% and E >200).     

Highly stereoselective synthesis of the indolo[2,3-a]quinolizine ring system and application to indole natural product synthesis

We report a novel, facile and highly stereoselective approach to the indolo[2,3-a]quinolizine ring system from a readily available, non-racemic chiral template. We demonstrate the potential for application of this methodology to natural product synthesis through conversion of the template to a simple indole alkaloid with high enantiomeric purity.     

Univocal syntheses of 2- and 3-hydroxymethyl-2,3-dihydro[1,4]dioxino[2,3-b]pyridine enantiomers

The enantiomers of 2- and 3-hydroxymethyl substituted 2,3-dihydro[1,4]dioxino[2,3-b]pyridine 1 and 2, important chiral building blocks for the preparation of several biologically active compounds, were synthesized. (S)- and (R)-1 were obtained from either one or both the enantiomers of benzylglycerol, while (S)- and (R)-2 were obtained from (R)- and (S)-isopropylideneglycerol, respectively. The novel efficient synthetic strategies, which do not follow routes already reported for the corresponding racemates, ensure very high regioselectivity and maintenance of the enantiomeric purity of the starting materials. The enantiomeric composition of the title compounds was determined by chiral HPLC or NMR. The key intermediate in the synthesis of non-racemic 1, namely 1-benzyl-2-mesyl-3-tritylglycerol, is a new high melting chiral C₃ synthon, worth considering for its stability, versatility, easy isolation by simple crystallization and, potential of configuration inversion through a simple one-pot reaction sequence.     

The effect of SDE on the separation of diastereomeric salts: a case study for the resolution of mandelic acid derivatives with Pregabalin

A resolution method has been elaborated for mandelic acid and 2-chloromandelic acid applying the (R)-(−)-3-(aminomethyl)-5-methylhexanoic acid (Pregabalin) as the resolving agent. The formation of the corresponding diastereomers was kinetically controlled. This observation was rationalized by the behavior of enantiomeric mixtures of mandelic acid, 2-chloromandelic acid, and 3-(aminomethyl)-5-methylhexanoic acid. It was found that the eutectic composition of Pregabalin influenced the diastereomeric excess of the diastereomers formed under kinetic control.     

On‐line two‐dimensional LC: A rapid and efficient method for the determination of enantiomeric excess in reaction mixtures

A novel LC‐based method for the determination of enantiomeric excess (ee) in a sample mixture has been developed by employing on‐line 2D LC. The orthogonal separation system is composed of an NH₂ column as the first dimension to elute the target chiral compound from the crude mixture and a chiral column as the second dimension to determine the ee of the target chiral product. A series of crude mixtures from asymmetric reactions have been directly analyzed without prepurification. Good reproducibility (intra‐ and interday precisions were all under 1.33%) and good accuracy (deviations from ee values determined by 1D HPLC were all <1.03%) have been obtained. Compared with the traditional method for the determination of ee, on‐line 2D HPLC can be used in real time and holds great potential in the time‐saving determination of ee in asymmetric synthesis.     

A convenient stereoselective synthesis of 5-hydroxy-3-oxoesters and 3-hydroxy-5-oxoesters

A biocatalytic approach was employed for the asymmetric reduction of sterically demanding ketones to prepare 3-hydroxy-5-oxo-5-phenylpentanoates and 5-hydroxy-3-oxo-5-phenylpentanoates. Screening a collection of microorganisms led to the identification of stereocomplementary microbial strains that provide access to both enantiomers of 3-hydroxy-5-oxo-5-phenylpentanoates and 5-hydroxy-3-oxo-5-phenylpentanoates with high enantiomeric excess (up to 99% ee). Moreover, the application of Saccharomyces cerevisiae gave two diastereomers of 3,5-dihydroxy-5-phenylpentanoates with high enantiomeric excess (up to 99% ee). The applicability of the identified strains was demonstrated by transforming the obtained dihydroxy ester into the chemically valuable lactone (4S,6R)-tetrahydro-4-hydroxy-6-phenyl-pyran-2-one.