Helical arrays of pendant fullerenes on optically active poly(phenylacetylene)s

Novel, optically active, stereoregular poly(phenylacetylene)s bearing the bulky fullerene as the pendant were synthesized by copolymerization of an achiral phenylacetylene bearing a [60]fullerene unit with optically active phenylacetylene components in the presence of a rhodium catalyst. The C60-bound phenylacetylene was prepared by treatment of C60 with N-(4-ethynylbenzyl)glycine in a Prato reaction. The obtained copolymers exhibited induced circular dichroism (ICD) in solution both in the main-chain region and in the achiral fullerene chromophoric region, although their ICD intensities were highly dependent on the structures of the optically active phenylacetylenes and the solution temperature. These results indicate that the optically active copolymers form one-handed helical structures and that the pendant achiral fullerene groups are arranged in helical arrays with a predominant screw sense along the polymer backbone. The structures and morphology of the copolymers on solid substrates were also investigated by atomic force microscopy.     

Helicity Control of Polymeric Backbones with Alternating cis-trans Double Bonds in Cyclopolymerized Dipropargyl Amides

We report the synthesis of new helical polymeric structures having alternating cis and trans double bonds and chiral amino acid side chains by metathesis cyclopolymerization. The polymer helicity, which is generated by the interaction between fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc) groups in the side chains, is dramatically affected by solvents. A thorough experimental and theoretical analysis including nuclear magnetic resonance, atomic force microscopy, and density functional theory and molecular mechanics calculations suggests that the helicity of both backbone and side chains are determined by anti-syn rotation of the carbamate groups and by the different interactions of the Fmoc groups with solvents.     

Predicting the Helical Sense of Poly(phenylacetylene)s from their Electron Circular Dichroism Spectra

The calculated ECD spectrum (time‐dependent density functional theory TD‐DFT) for small oligomers of polyphenylacetylenes (PPAs) show a very good match with the experimental spectra of the PPA polymers, particularly with the first Cotton band associated to the helical sense of the internal polyenic backbone. This has been proven with a series of PPAs representative of cis‐cisoidal, cis‐transoidal, compressed and stretched polyene backbones, with identical or opposite internal/external rotational senses and allows the prediction of the helical sense of the internal helix of a PPA directly from its CD spectra.     

Helical Poly(phenylacetylene) Bearing Chiral and Achiral Imidazolidinone‐Based Pendants that Catalyze Asymmetric Reactions due to Catalytically Active Achiral Pendants Assisted by Macromolecular Helicity

A series of optically active helical copolymers of phenylacetylenes are prepared by the rhodium‐catalyzed copolymerization of the imidazolidinone‐linked, catalytically active achiral phenylacetylenes and catalytically inactive chiral phenylacetylenes. The obtained chiral/achiral copolymers exhibit an induced circular dichroism in the UV–vis regions of the copolymer backbones resulting from a preferred‐handed helical conformation biased by the chiral imidazolidinone units incorporated in the copolymers. The copolymers are found to catalyze the asymmetric Diels–Alder reaction and produce the products with a moderate enantioselectivity in spite of the fact that the catalytically active units of the copolymers are achiral, indicating that the observed enantioselectivity totally originates from the helical chirality dynamically induced by the optically active, but catalytically inactive imidazolidinone units incorporated in the copolymers.

     

Poly(phenylacetylene)s bearing a peptide pendant: helical conformational changes of the polymer backbone stimulated by the pendant conformational change

Optically active, cis-transoid poly(phenylacetylene) derivatives bearing a poly(gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate) [poly(PBGAm)] or poly(L-glutamic acid) [poly(PGAm)] chain as the pendant were prepared by polymerisation of the corresponding macromonomer with a rhodium catalyst followed by hydrolysis of the pendant ester groups. Their conformational changes in solution, induced by a helix-coil transition of the pendant polypeptides, were investigated using circular dichroism (CD) and absorption spectroscopies. A series of macromonomers with a different peptide chain lengths was synthesised by the polymerisation of the N-carboxyanhydride of gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate with a phenylacetylene bearing an alanine residue as the initiator. The obtained macromonomers (PBGAm) were further polymerised with a rhodium catalyst in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) to yield novel poly(phenylacetylene)s [poly(PBGAm)] with a poly(gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate) pendant. The poly(PBGAm) exhibited an induced circular dichroism (ICD) in the UV/Vis region of the polymer backbone in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), probably due to the prevailing one-handed helix formation. The Cotton effect signs of a DMSO solution of the poly(PBGAm) were inverted and accompanied by a visible colour change in the presence of an increasing amount of chloroform or DMF containing lithium chloride. The results suggest that poly(PBGAm) may undergo a conformational change such as a helix-helix transition with a different helical pitch responding to a change in the alpha-helix content of the poly(gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate) pendant. Moreover, a water-soluble poly(PGAm) also showed a similar, but dramatic change in its helical conformation with a visible colour change stimulated by a helix-coil transition of the pendant poly(L-glutamic acid) chains by changing the pH in water.     

Helicity Induction and Memory of the Macromolecular Helicity in a Polyacetylene Bearing a Biphenyl Pendant

A novel, cis‐transoidal poly‐(phenylacetylene) bearing a carboxybiphenyl group as the pendant (poly‐ 1 ) was prepared by polymerization of (4′‐ethoxycarbonyl‐4‐biphenylyl)acetylene with a rhodium catalyst followed by hydrolysis of the ester groups. Upon complexation with various chiral amines and amino alcohols in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), the polymer exhibited characteristic induced circular dichroism (ICD) in the UV/Vis region due to the predominantly one‐handed helix formation of the polymer backbone as well as an excess of a single‐handed, axially twisted conformation of the pendant biphenyl group. Poly‐ 1 complexed with (R)‐2‐amino‐1‐propanol showed unique time‐dependent inversion of the macromolecular helicity. Furthermore, the preferred‐handed helical conformation of poly‐ 1 induced by a chiral amine was further “memorized” after the chiral amine was replaced with achiral 2‐aminoethanol or n‐butylamine in DMSO. In sharp contrast to the previously reported memory in poly((4‐carboxyphenyl)acetylene), the present helicity memory of poly‐ 1 was accompanied by memory of the twisted biphenyl chirality in the pendants. Unprecedentedly, the helicity memory of poly‐ 1 with achiral 2‐aminoethanol was found to occur simultaneously with inversion of the axial chirality of the biphenyl groups followed by memory of the inverted biphenyl chirality, thus showing a significant change in the CD spectral pattern.     

Synthesis and Helical Structure of Poly(1‐methylpropargyl ester)s with Various Side Chains

Optically active 1‐methylpropargyl esters bearing various substituents were polymerized with [(nbd)Rh]⁺[η⁶‐C₆H₅B(C₆H₅)₃]^? (nbd=norbornadiene) as a catalyst to afford the corresponding poly(1‐methylpropargyl ester)s with moderate molecular weights in good yields. The polymers have a cis‐stereoregular structure, which was determined by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. Large optical rotations and clear CD signals demonstrated that all these polymers take on a helical structure with a predominantly one‐handed screw sense. The polymers exhibited large viscosity indices in the range 1.14–1.75. Chiral amplification was observed in R/S copolymerization. Conformational analysis revealed that the polymers form a tightly twisted helical structure with a dihedral angle of 70° at the single bond of the main chain.     

Sequential formation of yellow, red, and orange 1-phenyl-3,3-biphenylene-allene dimers prior to blue tetracene formation: Helicity reversal in trans-3,4-diphenyl-1,2-bis(fluorenylidene)cyclobutane

1-Phenyl-3,3-biphenyleneallene (2), the base-catalyzed rearrangement product of 9-phenylethynylfluorene (1) yields a yellow, head-to-tail dimer 6 that, upon gentle warming, is converted to the red tail-to-tail isomer trans-3,4-diphenyl-1,2-bis(fluorenylidene)cyclobutane (7), in which the two fluorenylidene moieties severely overlap. The helical sense of the fluorenylidene moieties in 7 matches that of the phenyl substituents, and the interplanar angle between the fluorenylidene moieties is 41 degrees . At 80 degrees C, 6 isomerizes to orange cis-3,4-diphenyl-1,2-bis(fluorenylidene)cyclobutane (8), which at 110 degrees C is converted to orange trans diastereomer 9, whereby the helicity of the overlapping fluorenylidene moieties is reversed from that in 7 such that they are aligned with the ring hydrogen atoms, and the interplanar angle between the fluorenylidene moieties is now 60 degrees . At 180 degrees C, 6 rearranges to dispirodihydrotetracene 3 and blue, electroluminescent diindenotetracene 4, which is readily oxidized to peroxide 5. In the solid state, both 3 and 4 adopt structures with Ci symmetry (only an inversion center) such that the central polycyclic framework is nonplanar. Deprotonation of yellow head-to-tail allene dimer 6 with tBuOK in DMSO and reprotonation with HOAc yields the [1,3]-hydrogen migration product 10, in which the proton originally on the cyclobutane ring is now sited at C9 on the exocyclic fluorenyl substituent. Analogously, deprotonation and reprotonation of orange dimer 9 furnishes [1,3]-hydrogen migration product 11. Side product 17, formed during the synthesis of 1 from 9-phenylethynylfluoren-9-ol, BF3 and Et3SiH, was shown to be a silyl-indene spiro-linked to C9 of fluorene. All products were characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography, and the mechanisms of these interconversions are discussed.     

Helical Folding of Conjugated Oligo(phenyleneethynylene): Chain‐Length Dependence,Solvent Effects,and Intermolecular Assembly

As a representative folding system that features a conjugated backbone, a series of monodispersed (o‐phenyleneethynylene)‐alt‐(p‐phenyleneethynylene) (PE) oligomers of varied chain length and different side chains were studied. Molecules with the same backbone but different side‐chain structures were shown to exhibit similar helical conformations in respectively suitable solvents. Specifically, oligomers with dodecyloxy side chains folded into the helical structure in apolar aliphatic solvents, whereas an analogous oligomer with tri(ethylene glycol) (Tg) side chains adopted the same conformation in polar solvents. The fact that the oligomers with the same backbone manifested a similar folded conformation independent of side chains and the nature of the solvent confirmed the concept that the driving force for folding was the intramolecular aromatic stacking and solvophobic interactions. Although all were capable of inducing folding, different solvents were shown to bestow slightly varied folding stability. The chain‐length dependence study revealed a nonlinear correlation between the folding stability with backbone chain length. A critical size of approximately 10 PE units was identified for the system, beyond which folding occurred. This observation corroborated the helical nature of the folded structure. Remarkably, based on the absorption and emission spectra, the effective conjugation length of the system extended more effectively under the folded state than under random conformations. Moreover, as evidenced by the optical spectra and dynamic light‐scattering studies, intermolecular association took place among the helical oligomers with Tg side chains in aqueous solution. The demonstrated ability of such a conjugated foldamer in self‐assembling into hierarchical supramolecular structures promises application potential for the system.     

Synthesis and Helical Structures of Poly(ω‐alkynamide)s Having Chiral Side Chains: Effect of Solvent on Their Screw‐Sense Inversion

New ω‐alkynamides, (S)‐HC?CCH₂CONHCH₂CH(CH₃)CH₂CH₃ ( 1 ) and (S)‐HC?CCH₂CH₂CONHCH(CH₃)CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₃ ( 2 ) were synthesized and polymerized with a rhodium catalyst in CHCl₃ to obtain cis‐stereoregular poly(ω‐alkynamide)s (poly( 1 ) and poly( 2 )). Polarimetric, CD, and IR spectroscopic studies revealed that in solution the polymers adopted predominantly one‐handed helical structures stabilized by intramolecular hydrogen bonds between the pendent amide groups. This behavior was similar to that of the corresponding poly(N‐alkynylamide) counterparts (poly( 3 ) and poly( 4 )) reported previously, whereas the helical senses were opposite to each other. The helical structures of the poly(ω‐alkynamide)s were stable upon heating similar to those of the poly(N‐alkynylamide)s, but the solvent response was completely different. An increase in MeOH content in CHCl₃/MeOH resulted in inversion of the predominant screw‐sense for poly( 1 ) and poly( 2 ). Conversely, poly( 3 ) was transformed into a random coil, and poly( 4 ) maintained the predominant screw‐sense irrespective of MeOH content. The solvent dependence of predominant screw‐sense for poly( 1 ) and poly( 2 ) was reasonably explained by molecular orbital studies using the conductor‐like screening model (COSMO).     

Kinetic Control in the Chiral Recognition of Three‐Bladed Propellers

The ion pair of the stereolabile C₃‐symmetric, i⁺o proton complex [ 1? H]⁺ of diaza‐macropentacycle 1 and the configurationally stable Δ‐TRISPHAT ([Δ‐ 3 ]^?) anion exists in the form of two diastereomers, namely, [Δ‐( 1? H)][Δ‐ 3 ] and [Λ‐( 1? H)][Δ‐ 3 ], the ratio of which, in terms of diastereomeric excess (de) decreases in the order [D₈]THF (28 %)>CD₂Cl₂ (22 %)>CDCl₃ (20 %)>[D₈]toluene (16 %)>C₆D₆ (7 %)>[D₆]acetone (0 %) at thermodynamic equilibrium. Except in the case of [D₆]acetone, the latter is reached after a period of time that increases from 1 h ([D₈]THF) to 24 h (CDCl₃). Moreover, the initial value of the de of [ 1? H][Δ‐ 3 ] in CDCl₃, before the thermodynamic equilibrium is reached, depends on the solvent in which the sample has been previously equilibrated (sample “history”). This property has been used to show that the crystals of [ 1? H][Δ‐ 3 ] formed by slow evaporation of CH₂Cl₂/CH₃OH mixtures had 100 % de, which indicates that [ 1? H][Δ‐ 3 ] has enjoyed a crystallization‐induced asymmetric transformation. Structural studies in solution (NMR spectroscopy) and in the gas phase by calculations at the semiempirical PM6 level of theory suggest that the optically active anion is docked on the i⁺ (endo) external side of the proton complex such that one of the aromatic rings of [Δ‐ 3 ]^? is inserted into a groove of [ 1? H]⁺, a second aromatic ring being placed astride the outside i⁺ pocket. Solvent polarity controls the thermodynamics of inversion of the [ 1? H]⁺ propeller. However, both polarity and basicity control its kinetics. Therefore, the rate‐limiting steps correspond to the ion‐pair separation/recombination and [ 1? H]⁺/ 1 deprotonation/protonation processes, rather than the inversion of [ 1? H]⁺, the latter being likely to take place in the deprotonated form ( 1 ).     

A Catalytic Approach to Functional Poly(1,4‐ketone)s Bearing Pendant Monosaccharide Fragments

Summary: Novel alternating polyketone‐based polymers bearing pendant saccharide units that are accessible by polymerization catalysis are presented. The materials were synthesized by polymerization of carbon monoxide and α‐olefins containing protected glucose or N‐acetyl glucosamine residues. The dicationic Pd^II bis(phoshine) complex [Pd(dppp)(NCCH₃)₂](BF₄)₂ was used as a catalyst precursor. An O‐deacetylation of the copolymers afforded materials with amphiphilic character.

Structure of the poly(1,4‐ketone) copolymers synthesized here.     

Control of the Helical Chirality of Enantiopure Sulfinyl (Z)‐Azobenzene‐Based Photoswitches

A new class of enantiopure ortho,ortho‐disubstituted azobenzene photoswitches has been synthesized from (S)‐2‐(p‐tolylsulfinyl)benzoquinone and arylhydrazines. The sulfoxide acts as a unidirectional controller of the helical chirality that arises in the Z isomer after photoisomerization. Highly congested E‐azobenzenes 5 c showed two atropisomeric diastereoconformers in the solid state that converged upon irradiation into a unique Z isomer with defined helicity (M), as evident in the X‐ray structure. The chiroptical properties of this three‐state enantiopure switch can be externally tuned both photochemically and/or thermally. Theoretical CD spectra calculated by using time‐dependent DFT methods support the existence of two atropoisomeric E isomers and only one Z isomer with (M) helicity. Complementary to the classical azobenzene‐based switches, the photoswiching event is promoted under green/blue light and do not occur under UV irradiation.     

Tuning the Chirality of Block Copolymers: From Twisted Morphologies to Nanospheres by Self‐Assembly

New advances into the chirality effect in the self‐assembly of block copolymers (BCPs) have been achieved by tuning the helicity of the chiral‐core‐forming blocks. The chiral BCPs {[N?P(R)‐O₂C₂₀H₁₂]_200?x[N?P(OC₅H₄N)₂]_x}‐b‐ [N?PMePh]₅₀ ((R)‐O₂C₂₀H₁₂=(R)‐1,1′‐binaphthyl‐2,2′‐dioxy, OC₅H₄N=4‐pyridinoxy (OPy); x=10, 30, 60, 100 for 3 a – d , respectively), in which the [N?P(OPy)₂] units are randomly distributed within the chiral block, have been synthesised. The chiroptical properties of the BCPs ([α]_D vs. T and CD) demonstrated that the helicity of the BCP chains may be simply controlled by the relative proportion of the chiral and achiral (i.e., [N?P(R)‐O₂C₂₀H₁₂] and [N?P(OPy)₂], respectively) units. Thus, although 3 a only contained only 5 % [N?P(OPy)₂] units and exhibited a preferential helical sense, 3 d with 50 % of this unit adopted non‐preferred helical conformations. This gradual variation of the helicity allowed us to examine the chirality effect on the self‐assembly of chiral and helical BCPs (i.e., 3 a – c ) and chiral but non‐helical BCPs (i.e., 3 d ). The very significant influence of the helicity on the self‐assembly of these materials resulted in a variety of morphologies that extend from helical nanostructures to pearl‐necklace aggregates and nanospheres (i.e., 3 b and 3 d , respectively). We also demonstrate that the presence of pyridine moieties in BCPs 3 a – d allows specific decoration with gold nanoparticles.     

Chirality sensing of chiral pyrrolidines and piperazines with a liquid crystalline dynamic helical poly(phenylacetylene) bearing ethyl phosphonate pendant groups

Stereoregular cis‐transoidal poly(phenylacetylene) bearing a phosphonic acid monoethyl ester as the pendant group (poly‐ 1 ‐H) was found to form a preferred‐handed helix upon complexation with various optically active pyrrolidines and piperazines in dilute dimethyl sulfoxide and water, and the complexes exhibited characteristic induced circular dichroisms (ICDs) in the UV‐vis region of the polymer backbone. The Cotton effect signs in water reflect the absolute configuration of the pyrrolidines. The sodium salt of poly‐ 1 ‐H (poly‐ 1 ‐Na) and poly‐ 1 ‐H in the presence of optically active amines formed lyotropic nematic and cholesteric liquid crystalline phases in concentrated water solutions, respectively, indicating the rigid‐rod characteristic of the polymer main chain regardless of the lack of a single‐handed helix, as evidenced by the long persistence length of about 18 nm before and after the preferred‐handed helicity induction in the polymer. X‐ray diffraction of the oriented films of the nematic and cholesteric liquid crystalline polymers exhibited almost the same diffraction pattern, suggesting that both polymers have the same helical structure; dynamically racemic and one‐handed helices, respectively. On the basis of the X‐ray analysis, a possible helical structure of poly‐ 1 is proposed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 1383–1390, 2010