Hierarchical Self‐Assembly in Liquid‐Crystalline Block Copolymers Enabled by Chirality Transfer

Helical topological structures are often found in chiral biological systems, but seldom in synthesized polymers. Now, controllable microphase separation of amphiphilic liquid‐crystalline block copolymers (LCBCs) consisting of hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) and hydrophobic azobenzene‐containing poly(methylacrylate) is combined with chirality transfer to fabricate helical nanostructures by doping with chiral additives (enantiopure tartaric acid). Through hydrogen‐bonding interactions, chirality is transferred from the dopant to the aggregation, which directs the hierarchical self‐assembly in the composite system. Upon optimized annealing condition, helical structures in film are fabricated by the induced aggregation chirality. The photoresponsive azobenzene mesogens in the LCBC assist photoregulation of the self‐assembled helical morphologies. This allows the construction and non‐contact manipulation of complicated nanostructures.     

Stereogenic‐Only‐at‐Metal Asymmetric Catalysts

Chirality is an essential feature of asymmetric catalysts. This review summarizes asymmetric catalysts that derive their chirality exclusively from stereogenic metal centers. Reported chiral‐at‐metal catalysts can be divided into two classes, namely, inert metal complexes, in which the metal fulfills a purely structural role, so catalysis is mediated entirely through the ligand sphere, and reactive metal complexes. The latter are particularly appealing because structural simplicity (only achiral ligands) is combined with the prospect of particularly effective asymmetric induction (direct contact of the substrate with the chiral metal center). Challenges and solutions for the design of such reactive stereogenic‐only‐at‐metal asymmetric catalysts are discussed.     

Enantiopure Ferrocene‐Based Planar‐Chiral Iridacycles: Stereospecific Control of Iridium‐Centred Chirality

Reaction of [IrCp*Cl₂]₂ with ferrocenylimines (Fc=NAr, Ar=Ph, p‐MeOC₆H₄) results in ferrocene C?H activation and the diastereoselective synthesis of half‐sandwich iridacycles of relative configuration S_p*,R_Ir*. Extension to (S)‐2‐ferrocenyl‐4‐(1‐methylethyl)oxazoline gave highly diastereoselective control over the new elements of planar chirality and metal‐based pseudo‐tetrahedral chirality, to give both neutral and cationic half‐sandwich iridacycles of absolute configuration S_c,S_p,R_Ir. Substitution reactions proceed with retention of configuration, with the planar chirality controlling the metal‐centred chirality through an iron–iridium interaction in the coordinatively unsaturated cationic intermediate.     

Anion‐Responsive Diguanidinium‐Based Chiral Organogelators

The chiral bicyclic diguanidinium chloride 1 forms gels in aromatic apolar solvents. The gels were characterized at different levels of organization, from the macroscopic to the molecular level by using microscopy, spectroscopy, and powder X‐ray diffraction. The dependency on chirality has been highlighted by circular dichroism and electron microscopy. Furthermore, the gel has been shown to be effectively responsive to anionic stimuli, thus allowing the reversible control of the organic‐phase gelation in contact with different salted aqueous solutions.     

tert‐Butyldimethylsilyl‐Directed Highly Enantioselective Approach to Axially Chiral α‐Allenols

A highly efficient and enantioselective synthesis of axially chiral α‐allenols was realized in practical yields with 96–99 % ee or de from TBS‐protected propargylic alcohols, aldehydes, and a commercially available, inexpensive, chiral, secondary amine (S)‐α,α‐diphenylprolinol or its enantiomer followed by desilylation. The easily removable TBS group not only acts as a protecting group, but also as a possible sterically directing group for the excellent enantioselectivity and in situ prevention of possible allene racemization.     

Enantioselective Formation of Cyano‐Bearing All‐Carbon Quaternary Stereocenters: Desymmetrization by Copper‐Catalyzed N‐Arylation

The enantioselective construction of all‐carbon quaternary stereocenters is one of the most challenging fields in asymmetric synthesis. An asymmetric desymmetrization strategy offers an indirect and efficient method for the formation of all‐carbon stereocenters. An enantioselective formation of cyano‐bearing all‐carbon quaternary stereocenters in 1,2,3,4,‐tetrahydroquinolines and 2,3,4,5‐tetrahydro‐1H‐benzo[b]azepines by copper‐catalyzed desymmetric N‐arylation is demonstrated. The cyano group at the prochiral center plays a key role for the high enantioselectivity and works as an important functional group for further transformations. DFT studies provide a model which successfully accounts for the origin of enantioselectivity.     

Rotation‐Locked 2,6‐Pyrido‐allenophanes: Characterization of all Stereoisomers

New 2,6‐disubstituted pyrido‐allenophanes with locked rotation of aromatic spacers were designed and synthesized. The synthesis was accomplished by Pd‐catalyzed C(sp²)–C(sp) Sonogashira cross‐coupling reaction between 1,3‐diethynylallene (DEA) and 2,6‐dibromopyridine followed by an intermolecular ring closure. Because racemic DEA was employed, pyrido‐allenophanes were obtained as mixtures of stereoisomers that were resolved by preparative HPLC. The conformational space of all these diastereoisomers was explored at the CAM‐B3LYP/6‐31+G*//AM1 level of theory. The isomers were characterized through their symmetry properties revealed in NMR, circular dichroism, and chiral stationary‐phase HPLC experiments. X‐ray diffraction was used to assign and to corroborate the configuration of several diastereoisomers. The unexpected encapsulation of two molecules of CHCl₃ in the crystal structures shows the potential of these conformationally hampered allenophanes as encapsulating hosts.     

Diastereo‐ and Enantioselective 1,4‐Difunctionalization of Borylenynes by Catalytic Conjunctive Cross‐Coupling

Enantioselective conjunctive cross‐coupling of enyne‐derived boronate complexes occurs with 1,4 addition of the electrophile and migrating group across the π system. This reaction pathway furnishes α‐boryl allenes as the reaction product. In the presence of a chiral catalyst, both the central and axial chirality of the product can be controlled during product formation.     

Metal‐Ion‐Mediated Supramolecular Chirality of l‐Phenylalanine Based Hydrogels

For chiral hydrogels and related applications, one of the critical issues is how to control the chirality of supramolecular systems in an efficient way, including easy operation, efficient transfer of chirality, and so on. Herein, supramolecular chirality of l ‐phenylalanine based hydrogels can be effectively controlled by using a broad range of metal ions. The degree of twisting (twist pitch) and the diameter of the chiral nanostructures can also be efficiently regulated. These are ascribed to the synergic effect of hydrogen bonding and metal ion coordination. This study may develop a method to design a new class of electronically, optically, and biologically active materials.     

Remote Control of the Planar Chirality in Peptide‐Bound Metallomacrocycles and Dynamic‐to‐Static Planar Chirality Control Triggered by Solvent‐Induced 310‐to‐α‐Helix Transitions

The dynamic planar chirality in a peptide‐bound Ni^II‐salphen‐based macrocycle can be remotely controlled. First, a right‐handed (P)‐3₁₀‐helix is induced in the dynamic helical oligopeptides by a chiral amino acid residue far from the macrocyclic framework. The induced planar chirality remains dynamic in chloroform and acetonitrile, but is almost completely locked in fluoroalcohols as a result of the solvent‐induced transition of the peptide chains from a 3₁₀‐helix to a wider α‐helix, which freezes the rotation of the pendant peptide units around the macrocycle.     

Strain‐Accelerated Formation of Chiral,Optically Active Buta‐1,3‐dienes

The formal [2+2] cycloaddition–retroelectrocyclization (CA–RE) reactions between tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) and strained, electron‐rich dibenzo‐fused cyclooctynes were studied. The effect of ring strain on the reaction kinetics was quantified, revealing that the rates of cycloaddition using strained, cyclic alkynes are up to 5500 times greater at 298 K than those of reactions using unstrained alkynes. Cyclobutene reaction intermediates, as well as buta‐1,3‐diene products, were isolated and their structures were studied crystallographically. Isolation of a rare example of a chiral buta‐1,3‐diene that is optically active and configurationally stable at room temperature is reported. Computational studies on the enantiomerization pathway of the buta‐1,3‐diene products showed that the eight‐membered ring inverts via a boat conformer in a ring‐flip mechanism. In agreement with computed values, experimentally measured activation barriers of racemization in these compounds were found to be up to 26 kcal mol^?1.     

Quinine‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Synthesis of 2,2′‐Binaphthol‐Type Biaryls under Mild Reaction Conditions

Simple quinine as an organocatalyst mediates the addition of various naphthols to halogenated quinones to afford non‐C₂‐symmetrical, axially chiral biaryl products, which are promising compounds as chiral ligands and organocatalysts. The rotational barrier required to have two distinct atropisomers has been evaluated in the products generated from the addition of naphthols to various quinones by means of DFT calculations and HPLC. The use of halogenated quinones as reagents was necessary to have configurationally stable enantiomeric products which can be obtained in good yield and stereoselectivity. These compounds have also been prepared in gram quantities and recrystallized to near enantiopurity.     

Organocatalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of Atropisomeric Aryl‐p‐Quinones: Platform Molecules for Diversity‐Oriented Synthesis of Biaryldiols

Presented here is a class of novel axially chiral aryl‐p‐quinones as platform molecules for the preparation of non‐C₂ symmetric biaryldiols. Two sets of aryl‐p‐quinone frameworks were synthesized with remarkable enantiocontrol by means of chiral phosphoric acid catalyzed enantioselective arylation of p‐quinones by central‐to‐axial chirality conversion. These aryl‐p‐quinones were then used to access a wide spectrum of highly functionalized non‐C₂ symmetric biaryldiols with excellent retention of the enantiopurity.     

Separation of Semiconducting Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes by Using a Long‐Alkyl‐Chain Benzenediazonium Compound

We designed and synthesized 4‐dodecyloxybenzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate ( 1 ), which preferentially reacts with metallic single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) by kinetic control. We first determined the suitable experimental conditions for the preferential reaction of 1 with individually dissolved SWNTs by monitoring the decrease in absorbance for the metallic SWNT in the range of 400–650 nm in the absorption spectrum of the SWNTs. The reacted SWNTs were thoroughly rinsed with THF to obtain THF‐insoluble SWNTs. The Raman spectrum of the THF‐insoluble SWNTs showed a strong peak near 180 cm^?1, which corresponds to a semiconducting breathing band. The metallic breathing bands (≈220 cm^?1) and Breit–Wingner–Fano (BWF) modes (1520 cm^?1) corresponding to the metallic SWNTs were much weaker than those of the pristine SWNTs. We also confirmed that metallic peaks in the range of 400–650 nm in the absorption spectrum of THF‐insoluble SWNTs that were individually dissolved in an aqueous micelle of sodium cholate were almost nondetectable. All the results indicate that the THF‐insoluble SWNTs are semiconducting.     

Diastereodivergent Asymmetric 1,4‐Addition of Oxindoles to Nitroolefins by Using Polyfunctional Nickel‐Hydrogen‐Bond‐Azolium Catalysts

Diastereodivergency is a challenge for catalytic asymmetric synthesis. For many reaction types, the generation of one diastereomer is inherently preferred, while the other diastereomers are not directly accessible with high efficiency and require circuitous synthetic approaches. Overwriting the inherent preference by means of a catalyst requires control over the spatial positions of both reaction partners. We report a novel polyfunctional catalyst type in which a Ni^II‐bis(phenoxyimine) unit, free hydroxy groups, and an axially chiral bisimidazolium entity participate in the stereocontrol of the direct 1,4‐addition of oxindoles to nitroolefins. Both epimers of the 1,4‐adduct are accessible in excess on demand by changes to the ligand constitution and configuration. As the products have been reported to be valuable precursors to indole alkaloids, this method should allow access to their epimeric derivatives.     

Oligopeptide‐Assisted Self‐Assembly of Oligothiophenes: Co‐Assembly and Chirality Transfer

The biomolecule‐assisted self‐assembly of semiconductive molecules has been developed recently for the formation of potential bio‐based functional materials. Oligopeptide‐assisted self‐assembly of oligothiophene through weak intermolecular interactions was investigated; specifically the self‐assembly and chirality‐transfer behavior of achiral oligothiophenes in the presence of an oligopeptide with a strong tendency to form β‐sheets. Two kinds of oligothiophenes without (QT) or with (QTDA) carboxylic groups were selected to explore the effect of the end functional group on self‐assembly and chirality transfer. In both cases, organogels were formed. However, the assembly behavior of QT was quite different from that of QTDA. It was found that QT formed an organogel with the oligopeptide and co‐assembled into chiral nanostructures. Conversely, although QTDA also formed a gel with the oligopeptide, it has a strong tendency to self‐assemble independently. However, during the formation of the xerogel, the chirality of the oligopeptide can also be transferred to the QTDA assemblies. Different assembly models were proposed to explain the assembly behavior.     

Self‐Assembly of Chiral Propeller‐like Supermolecules with Unusual “Sergeants‐and‐Soldiers” and “Majority‐Rules” Effects

Chiral amplification is an interesting phenomenon in supramolecular chemistry mainly observed in complicated systems in which cooperative effect dominate. Herein, chiral, supramolecular, propeller‐like architectures have been constructed through coassembly of an achiral disk‐shaped molecule and chiral amino acid derivatives driven by intermolecular hydrogen bonding. Both the “sergeants‐and‐soldiers” principle and “majority‐rules” effect are applicable in these discrete four‐component supermolecules, which are the simplest supramolecular system ever reported that exhibit chiral amplification.