Synthesis of benzannulated spiroacetals using chiral gold–phosphine complexes and chiral anions

The development of an asymmetric gold-catalysed dihydroalkoxylation strategy for the synthesis of the 3′H-spiro[chroman-2,1′-isobenzofuran] spiroacetal ring system 5 is described. Spiroacetal was generated in up to 87:13 enantiomeric ratio using chiral gold–phosphine complexes and chiral silver phosphate Ag(S)-TRIP.     

Preparation of chiral α-diazophosphonic acid derivatives

The chiral α-diazophosphonic acid derivatives 3, 6 and 8 were prepared from (−)-ephedrine and (S,S)-N,N′-dimethyl-1,2-diaminocyclohexane; preliminary experiments suggest that the chiral auxiliary exerts little influence in the dirhodium(II) acetate catalysed OH and NH insertion reactions.     

Catalytic enantioselective synthesis of chiral γ-butyrolactones

A tandem catalytic asymmetric aldol reaction/cyclization of β,γ-didehydro-γ-lactones with aldehydes was achieved using chiral tin dibromide as a chiral precatalyst and sodium alkoxide as a base precatalyst. Optically active trans-β,γ-disubstituted γ-butyrolactones were selectively obtained in moderate to high yields with up to 99% ee from γ-aryl-substituted β,γ-didehydro-γ-butyrolactones and bulky aliphatic aldehydes.     

Origins of stereoselectivity in the α-alkylation of chiral hydrazones

Density functional theory calculations and experiment reveal the origin of stereoselectivity in the deprotonation-alkylation of chiral N-amino cyclic carbamate (ACC) hydrazones. When the ACC is a rigid, camphor-derived carbamate, the two conformations of the azaenolate intermediate differ in energy due to conformational effects within the oxazolidinone ring and steric interactions between the ACC and the azaenolate. An electrophile adds selectively to the less-hindered π-face of the azaenolate. Although it was earlier reported that use of ACC auxiliaries led to α-alkylated ketones with er values of 82:18 to 98:2, B3LYP calculations predict higher stereoselectivity. Direct measurement of the dr of an alkylated hydrazone prior to removal of the auxiliary confirms this prediction; the removal of the auxiliary under the reported conditions can compromise the overall stereoselectivity of the process.     

Syntheses of a new type of chiral phosphines from glucose

Methyl 3-deoxy-3-(diphenylphosphino)-4,6-O-benzylidene-α-D-altropyranoside (1) and methyl 2-deoxy-2-(diphenylphosphino)-4,6-O-benzylidene-α-D-altropyranoside (2) were prepared from methyl 2,3-anhydro-4,6-O-benzylidene-O-D-mannopyranoside and methyl 2,3-anhydro-4,6-O-benzyl-idene-α-D-allopyranoside,respectively,via regioselective and stcreospecific ring-opening reactions in high yields.Compounds 1 and 2 were oxidized to give the corresponding phosphine oxides (3 and 4).     

Application of chiral thiazolidine ligands to asymmetric hydrosilation

Seven chiral thiazolidines bound rhodium complexes were synthesized and their catalytic asymmetric hydrosilation properties were investigated It was found through investigation that the configuration of newly formed chiral centre C2 of substituted chiral thiazolidines prepared from L-cysteine or its esters has no effect on the final results of catalytic asymmetric hydrosilation.The direct reason for causing this phenomenon is reported by the present quantitative results for the first time:the rapid racemation of chiral center C2 of chiral thiazolidine ligands takes place under the catalysis of rhodium(Ⅰ) complex [Rh(COD)CI]2     

Resolution of β-aminophosphines with chiral cyclopalladated complexes

Resolution of the racemic chiral β-aminophosphines Ph₂PCH₂CH(Ph)NH(Ar) (L¹ for Ar = C₆H₅ and L² for Ar = 2,6-C₆H₃ⁱPr₂) has been investigated by use of different cyclopalladated complexes as chiral agents. The resulting complexes afford diastereomeric adducts in a 1:1 ratio. After successive crystallizations from ethanol, a d.e. of 98% was achieved for one aminophosphine palladium complex, while no significant d.e. was obtained after crystallizations from chlorinated solvents. The X-ray structure analysis has pointed out intermolecular hydrogen interactions N-H?Cl between the P,N ligand and the chloride ion, which are responsible for the formation and stabilization of the diastereomeric adducts. Thus, the use of oxygenated solvents cancels such hydrogen interactions by their stronger donor character and makes the diastereomers separation possible, allowing to isolate the optically pure (R)-Ph₂PCH₂CH(Ph)NH(Ph) L¹ of which the absolute configuration has been determined from the X-ray structure analysis of the related palladium dichloride complex.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of chiral α-aminoorganotributyltins via ring-opening of 2-tributylstannyloxazolidines

Reactions of 2-tributylstannyloxazolidines 2a-d (cis or trans), derived from (R)-phenylglycinol protected as N-carbamate, with lithium diorganocuprates in presence of boron trifluoride in diethyl ether provide the corresponding functionalized tributylstannyl-α-aminoalcohols 3-10 with diastereoselectivities close to 85:15 in favour of the (S,R)-isomer. The stereochemical trend is preserved using allyltributyltin as nucleophile and TiCl₂(Oi-Pr)₂ as Lewis acid in dichloromethane. The assignments of the (S,R) or (R,R) configurations in 3-10 were achieved on the basis of physicochemical data combined with a radiocrystallographic structure. Stereochemical preferences were rationalized by consideration of the interactions occurring in the iminium intermediates.     

Asymmetric synthesis of β-amino acids through application of chiral sulfoxide

This paper describes asymmetric synthesis of β-aminophenylpropionic acid through application of a homochiral sulfoxide auxiliary. High kinetically controlled (3R,2S,R_S)-diastereoselectivity (−60°C) is achieved during addition of the lithium enolate of tert-butyl (+)-(R)-p-toluenesulfinylacetate to substituted N-(benzylidene)toluene-4-sulfonamides 2a–2d. The reductive cleavage of adduct 3a with sodium amalgam yielded tert-butyl 3-(toluene-4-sulfonamido)-3-phenylpropionate 5a, which was subjected to ester hydrolysis and subsequent detosylation with sodium in liquid ammonia to yield (S)-β-aminophenylpropionic acid in good yield and high 91% e.e.     

Enthalpies of mixing of ethanol solution of chiral limonenes at 298.15 K

Enthalpies of mixing of ethanol solution of R- and S-enantiomers of limonene in large concentration have been measured at 298.15 K. The enthalpies of mixing were negligibly small for all concentrations. Enthalpies of mixing showed negative in less than 30 mol%, but positive in more than the high concentration of limonenes. The heterochiral solutions were more stable than each of the homochiral solutions in dilute solutions. The concentration dependence on enthalpies of mixing in dilute concentration of less than 10 mol% was much sharper in inclination than the dense solutions limonene.     

A facile stereospecific synthesis of chiral β-keto sulfoxides

A synthetic strategy has been devised for the preparation of chiral β-keto sulfoxides (actually, α-vinylsulfinyl ketones) starting from the readily available C-6 substituted 2,3-dihydro-1,4-oxathiines. The procedure, which is characterized by high yields and excellent enantiomeric excesses, represents an improvement in preparation methods for chiral β-keto sulfoxides.     

Reverse elution order of β-blockers in chiral separation

In the field of chiral separation, the elution order of the enantiomers is one of the most important phenomena. Although the reversal of enantiomeric elution order is rare, it has certain significance. In the determination of the optical purities, the study of this phenomenon is helpful because it is favorable to elute the minor enantiomeric impurity before the major component. This mini review reports the reversal order of elution of the most important class of the drugs of β-blockers. This mini review describes the effects of the composition of the mobile phase, pH, and temperature on the reversal order of elution of β-blockers. The efforts are also made to discuss the possible future perspectives of reversal order of elution.     

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.     

Isolable chiral aggregates of achiral π-conjugated carboxylic acids

The induced aggregation of achiral building blocks by a chiral species to form chiral aggregates with memorized chirality has been observed for a number of systems. However, chiral memory in isolated aggregates of achiral building blocks remains rare. One possible reason for this discrepancy could be that not much is understood in terms of designing these chiral aggregates. Herein, we report a strategy for creating such isolable chiral aggregates from achiral building blocks that retain chiral memory after the facile physical removal of the chiral templates. This strategy was used for the isolation of chiral homoaggregates of neutral achiral π-conjugated carboxylic acids in pure aqueous solution. Under what we have termed an "interaction-substitution" mechanism, we generated chiral homoaggregates of a variety of π-conjugated carboxylic acids by using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as a mediator in acidic aqueous solutions. These aggregates were subsequently isolated from the CMC templates whilst retaining their memorized supramolecular chirality. Circular dichroism (CD) spectra of the aggregates formed in the acidic CMC solution exhibited bisignated exciton-coupled signals of various signs and intensities that were maintained in the isolated pure homoaggregates of the achiral π-conjugated carboxylic acids. The memory of the supramolecular chirality in the isolated aggregates was ascribed to the substitution of COOH/COOH hydrogen-bonding interaction between the carboxylic acid groups within the aggregates for the hydrogen-bonding interactions between the COOH groups of the building blocks and the chiral templates. We expect that this "interaction-substitution" procedure will open up a new route to isolable pure chiral aggregates from achiral species.     

Enantioselective separation of thalidomide on an immobilized α1-acid glycoprotein chiral stationary phaseglycoprotein chiral stationary phase

Summary An easy and rapid enantioselective separation for assay of racemic thalidomide on an immobilized α₁-acid glycoprotein chiral stationary phase (GPA CSP) is described. The effects of tetrahydrofuran (THF) as organic modifier, buffer concentration to control the ionic strenth, and mobile phase pH were studied. These variations have consequences in terms of chromatographic retention (k), resolution (R _s), selectivity (α), and peak asymmetry (USP tailing factor). The main condition affecting chromatographic retention was mobile phase pH. At pH 4.5, no separation of thalidomide enantiomers was achieved whereas at pH 7.9 chiral separation was optimum. Peak tailing was directly related to changes in pH and to addition of THF as mobile phase modifier. Results also indicated that the resolution factor is THF concentration-dependent, and that the separation factor (α) is the best parameter for evaluating enantioselectivity. The best mobile phase was pH 7.0, 30 mM ammonium acetate containing 0.3% THF. Under these conditions validation including linearity, recovery, and precision was performed. The suitability of this method has been successfully proved in a limited in-vivo study after intravenous administration of thalidomide to a New Zealand male rabbit.     

Practical synthesis of chiral β-telluro amines by ring-opening reaction of aziridines

A set of chiral β-tellurium amines and their selenium and sulfur-containing derivatives have been efficiently synthesized in good to excellent yields via the ring-opening reaction of chiral aziridines by chalcogen nucleophilic species.     

Synthesis of novel chiral lipophilic pyridyl-containing β-amino alcohol ligands and enantioselective hydrolysis of α-amino acid esters by chiral metallomicelles

Seven novel chiral lipophilic pyridyl-containing β-amino alcohol ligands have been synthesized by coupling of 6-alkoxymethyl-2-chloromethylpyridine 3 with the corresponding chiral β-amino alcohols or l-cysteine. Their metal ion complexes have been investigated as catalysts for the enantioselective hydrolysis of N-protected α-amino acid esters in aqueous comicellar solution. The results indicate that the hydrophobic interactions between substrate and metallocatalyst, the rigidity of the ligand, the hydroxyl group of the ligand acting as a nucleophile for the transacylation process, and the micellar microenvironment are important factors for the activity and enantioselectivity. Large rate accelerations (up to three orders of magnitude) and moderate enantioselectivities (up to 7.81 (k_R/k_S)) employing 4a–Cu²⁺ have been observed.     

Diastereoselective photodeconjugation of chiral α,β-unsaturated esters

Chiral alcohols available in both enantiomeric forms have been tested for the diastereoselective photochemical deconjugation of 2,4-dimethylpentenoic acid esters. (R)-Pantolactone afforded selectively the (2R)-β,γ-unsaturated ester in good yield and high d.e. (89%), while analogous use of (S)-pantolactone gave the (2S)-stereoisomer with similar selectivity.     

NHC-copper-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate silylation of access chiral α-aminosilanes

Chiral α-aminosilane and its derivatives have found potential applications in pharmaceuticals. Yet there are rare examples have been reported for the synthesis of these molecules. Herein we report a catalytic asymmetric conjugate silylation reactions of β-amido-acrylonitriles and β-amido-acrylates for the first time in the presence of catalytic amount of chiral N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)/Copper(I) complex. A variety of functionalized chiral α-aminosilanes were obtained at room temperature in good yields with high enantioselectivities in the presence of NHC (10 mol%), CuCl (10 mol%), NaOtBu or NaOMe (20 mol%), and MeOH (2 equivalents).     

β-Cyclodextrin-based chiral nanocomposite for thin-layer chromatographic detection of enantiomers of fluoxetine

Enantioselective analysis or separation is very essential for improved therapeutic effects of drugs as the pure enantiomeric drug formulations display potential benefits over racemates. In this work, we carried out (i) the synthesis of a nanocomposite of β-cyclodextrin and 3D graphene (G/β-CD NC), and (ii) its application for the detection of fluoxetine enantiomers [(RS)-FLX)] using a thin-layer chromatographic method. The synthesized nanocomposite was introduced into silica gel slurry while preparation of thin-layer plates. The separation conditions were optimized by altering pH, temperature, and mobile phase composition. The method is simple and easy to be optimized, and it can therefore be exploited to assess and monitor routine work of enantiomeric purity of drug enantiomers. The average precision (as measured by RSD) was in the region of 1.35‒1.65% for the enantiomers of (RS)-FLX. The measured limit of detection and limit of quantification for (RS)-FLX enantiomers were 1.8 and 5.4 mg mL^‒1, respectively.