Enantioselective α-alkylation of unsaturated carboxylic acids using a chiral lithium amide

The regio- and stereochemistry of the alkylation of dienediolates from unsaturated carboxylic acids with benzylic halides, which often results in mixtures of isomers, can be controlled by means of changes in the lithium amide, allowing the α-regioisomer to be obtained as the major diastereoisomer. In addition, when chiral amines are used, moderate enantiomeric excesses can be attained.     

Synthesis of chiral α-(tetrazol-1-yl)-substituted carboxylic acids

Optically active α-(tetrazol-1-yl)-substituted carboxylic acid OBO-esters were synthesized from the corresponding a-isocyano OBO-esters and trimethylsilyl azide in up to 92% yield. Subsequent acidic hydrolysis proceeds without epimerization and makes it possible to prepare enantiomerically pure α-(tetrazol-1-yl)-substituted carboxylic acids in up to 89% yield.

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Molecular chirality induction to an achiral π-conjugated polymer by circularly polarized light

A preferred-handed helical conformation was induced to poly(9,9-dioctylfluoren-2,7-diyl) (PDOF) in a thin film form upon irradiation with single-handed circularly polarized light (CPL) where the induction was reversible.     

Salen-based chiral fluorescence polymer sensor for enantioselective recognition of α-hydroxyl carboxylic acids

(R,R)-Salen-based chiral polymer P-1 was synthesized by the polymerization of 5,5'-((2,5-dibutoxy-1,4-phenylene)bis(ethyne-2,1-diyl))bis(2-hydroxy-3-(piperidin-1-ylmethyl) benzaldehyde (M-1) with (1R,2R)-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine (M-2) via nucleophilic addition- elimination reaction, and (R,R)-salan-based polymer P-2 could be obtained by the reduction reaction of P-1 with NaBH(4). (R,R)-Salen-based chiral polymer P-1 can exhibit greater fluorescence enhancement response toward (l)-α-hydroxyl carboxylic acids, and the value of enantiomeric fluorescence difference ratio (ef) can reach as high as 8.41 for mandelic acid and 6.55 for lactic acid. On the contrary, (R,R)-salan-based chiral polymer P-2 shows obvious fluorescence quenching response toward α-hydroxyl carboxylic acids. Most importantly, (R,R)-salen-based polymer P-1 can display bright blue fluorescence color change in the presence of (l)-α-hydroxyl carboxylic acids under a commercially available UV lamp, which can be clearly observed by the naked eyes.     

Synthesis of a π-conjugated oligomer-fullerene dyad through a versatile [6,6]diphenylmethanofullerene carboxylic acid

In this article we describe the synthesis of an electron donor-acceptor dyad containing a [6,6]diphenylmethanofullerene moiety as the electron acceptor and a dialkylamino-substituted oligo-p-phenylenevinylene as the electron donor. The synthesis of this material has been successfully accomplished by an esterification reaction between a [6,6]diphenylmethanofullerene functionalized with a carboxylic acid and the corresponding oligomer substituted with a benzyl alcohol. Cyclic voltammetry and absorption spectroscopy show that both electroactive units preserve their nature in the ground state, whereas preliminary photophysical investigations show a strong fluorescence quenching.     

Structurally simple chiral thioureas as chiral solvating agents in the enantiodiscrimination of α-hydroxy and α-amino carboxylic acids

C₂-Symmetrical chiral thioureas (S,S)-1 and (S,S)-2 were prepared in good yield by the reaction of 2 equiv of inexpensive (S)-1-phenylethylamine, or the corresponding naphthyl analog, with 1 equiv of thiophosgene in the presence of excess triethylamine. The presence of asymmetric elements in (S,S)-1 and (S,S)-2, and their capacity to act as receptors for anionic species via hydrogen bonding were exploited in the development of ¹H NMR spectroscopic enantiodiscrimination of chiral carboxylic acids. In particular, the diastereomeric complexes derived from thioureas (S,S)-1 and (S,S)-2 with ammonium salts of the chiral acids gave rise to well separated signals of the α-hydrogens and simple integration provides the corresponding enantiomeric ratios. Furthermore, it was observed that C_α-H in the (R) enantiomers of the chiral α-hydroxy and α-amino carboxylic acids studied in this work consistently appears downfield relative to the same signals in the (S) enantiomers.     

Insulated π-conjugated metallopolymers

Recently, there has been a progressive development of insulated π-conjugated metallopolymers with accumulated features of π-conjugated bridging units, transition metal complexes, and encapsulating moieties, as higher-order functionalized materials. A number of insulated conjugated metallopolymers have been successfully synthesized and their fascinating properties have been reported. In addition to the conventional features derived from π-conjugation and transition metals, their insulated structures can compensate for solubility, a disadvantage in conventional metallopolymers, and enhance their functionalities, such as sensing, luminescence, and conduction. In this review, we summarize the synthetic methodologies, structural characteristics, and functionalities of one-dimensional insulated π-conjugated metallopolymers, while focusing on the effect of transition metals and insulation on their properties.     

Titanylation and vanadylation of highly π-conjugated porphyrins

We report the efficient synthesis of tetrabicycloporphyrin titanyl and vanadyl without decomposition of the bicyclo[2.2.2]octadiene unit. The complexes were heated under vacuum to give titanyl and vanadyl tetrabenzoporphyrins in 100% yield. We also titanylated and vanadylated tetra[2,3]naphthoporphyrin and tetra[2,3]anthraporphyrin, which have a greater degree of π conjugation than tetrabenzoporphyrin.     

Highly stereoselective synthesis of N-substituted π-conjugated phthalimides

A new regio- and stereoselective synthesis of (E)-N-(2-arylvinyl)phthalimides as well as phthalimide-containing (E,E)-buta-1,3-dienes and (E)-but-1-en-3-ynes has been developed. The one-pot ruthenium-catalyzed silylative coupling/iododesilylation sequence provides (E)-N-(2-iodovinyl)phthalimide 1, which undergoes palladium-catalyzed Suzuki–Miyaura or Sonogashira cross-coupling to afford stereodefined highly π-conjugated phthalimides and functionalized dienimides containing phthalimide groups.     

Electrophilic asymmetric syntheses of α-hydroxy carboxylic acids

Asymmetric electrophilic synthesis of α-hydroxy carboxylic acids from chiral amide derivatives of tert-butyl- and trialkylsilyl- protected glycolic and lactic acids are described which lead to chiral α-hydroxy carboxylic acids in 60–95% diastereomic excess.     

Photophysics of self-assembled monolayers of a π-conjugated quinquethiophene derivative

The photophysics of fully and partially covered self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of a quinquethiophene (5T) derivative have been investigated. The monolayers behave as H-aggregates. The fluorescence of fully covered SAMs is weak and red-shifted, and the extinction is blue-shifted as compared to that of single molecules. The fluorescence of partially covered SAMs is dominated by that of single molecules on the surface. The extinction spectra are similar for fully and partially covered monolayers, which show that even the smallest islands are H-aggregates. The extinction spectra furthermore closely resemble those for 5T single crystals, which demonstrates that in oligothiophene crystals the intermolecular interactions within one layer molecules are stronger than the interlayer electronic coupling.     

Synthesis of extended, π-conjugated isoindolin-1-ones

The synthesis and characterization of extended, conjugated molecules containing isoindolinone units was explored. Nucleophilic cyclizations between an amide and an alkyne were found to be an efficient method of producing the desired isoindolin-1-ones in high yields. A variety of derivatives were synthesized, demonstrating that a number of structural alterations could be made while maintaining good regio- and stereospecificity in the cyclized product.     

Self-sorting self-complementary assemblies of π-conjugated acyclic anion receptors

Pyrrole-based π-conjugated anion-responsive molecules bearing an anionic moiety form self-complementary dimers, which exhibit self-sorting behaviours depending on the substituted positions of anionic sites.     

Self-assembly of chiral trans-cyclobutane-containing β-dipeptides into ordered aggregates

Two chiral synthetic β-dipeptides have been constructed, one with two trans-cyclobutane residues and the other with one trans and one cis fragment, 1 and 2, respectively, and investigated to get insight into the non-covalent interactions responsible for their self-assembly to form ordered aggregates, as well into parameters such as their morphology and size. Experimental evidence of the formation of these assemblies was provided by spectroscopy, microscopy and X-ray diffraction experiments that suggest the formation of nanoscale helical aggregates. This process involves a conformational change in the molecules of each dipeptide with respect to the preferred conformation of the isolated molecules in solution. A high-resolution NMR spectroscopy study allowed the determination of the dynamics of the gelation process in [D(8)]toluene and the sol-gel transition temperature, which was around 270 K in this solvent at a concentration of 15 mM. NMR spectroscopy experiments also provided some information about conformational changes involved in the sol-gel transition and also suggested a different gel packing for each dipeptide. These observations have been nicely explained by computational studies. The self-assembly of the molecules has been modelled and suggested a head-to-head molecular arrangement for 1 and a head-to-tail arrangement for 2 to give helical structures corresponding to hydrogen-bonded single chains. These chains interact with one another in an antiparallel way to afford bundles, the significant geometry parameters of which fit well to the main peaks observed in wide-angle X-ray diffraction spectra of the aggregates in the solid state.     

Solvent-dependent supramolecular assemblies of π-conjugated anion-responsive acyclic oligopyrroles

Amide-attached pyrrole-based π-conjugated anion receptors showed solvent-dependent assembled modes such as H-aggregates that were soluble in octane and highly organized structures that provided supramolecular gels in CH(2)Cl(2) and 1,4-dioxane in the absence of π-π stacking.     

Enantioselective iridium-catalyzed hydrogenation of β,γ-unsaturated carboxylic acids: an efficient approach to chiral 4-alkyl-4-aryl butanoic acids

Chiral acids: a highly enantioselective iridium-catalyzed hydrogenation of β,γ-unsaturated carboxylic acids is developed for the preparation of chiral 4-alkyl-4-aryl butanoic acids.     

DNA-templated assembly of dyes and extended π-conjugated systems

This feature article reports on the use of DNA as a template to assemble dyes and π-conjugated systems with the aim to construct functional multicomponent nanostructures that have a well-defined size, shape and sequence.     

Enantioselective synthesis of β-hydroxy carboxylic acids: direct conversion of β-oxocarboxylic acids to enantiomerically enriched β-hydroxy carboxylic acids via neighboring group control

β-Oxocarboxylic acids can be reduced to the corresponding β-hydroxy carboxylic acids employing DIP-Cl^™ as a reducing agent. The β-carboxylic substituent exerts a remarkable neighboring group effect on the reduction. The reaction presumably proceeds in an intramolecular fashion through a `rigid' bicyclic transition state assembly, which produces enantioselectivities approaching 99%.