Separation of enantiomers: needs, challenges, perspectives

Chiral drugs, agrochemicals, food additives and fragrances represent classes of compounds with high economic and scientific potential. First the present implications of their chiral nature and necessity of separating enantiomers are summarised in this article. In the following a brief overview of the actual approaches to perform enantioseparations at analytical and preparative scale is given. Challenging aspects of these strategies, such as problems associated with data management, choice of suitable chiral selectors for given enantioseparations and enhanced understanding of the underlying chiral recognition principles, are discussed. Alternatives capable of meeting the requirements of industrial processes, in terms of productivity, cost-effectiveness and environmental issues (e.g., enantioselective membranes) are critically reviewed. The impact of combinatorial methodologies on faster and more effective development and optimisation of novel chiral selectors is outlined. Finally, the merits and limitations of most recent trends in discrimination of enantiomers, including advances in the fields of sensors, microanalysis systems, chiroptical methods and chemical force microscopy are evaluated.     

Digital simulation of cyclic voltammetric experiments for non-first-order electrode reactions

Application of the explicit finite-difference simulation method to linear-sweep cyclic voltammetry in the case of non-first-order electrode reactions is described. Reversible, quasi-reversible and totally irreversible electrode reactions with reaction orders > 1 or < 1 are discussed. Simple criteria for evaluating the kinetic parameters are proposed. The accuracy of the proposed method is checked by comparing the results obtained with literature data.     

The exo-selectivity of the new non-natural chiral auxiliary (+)-(1R,endo)-2-benzonorbornenol in an asymmetric aza-Diels-Alder reaction

The recently reported compound (+)-(1R,endo)-2-benzonorbornenol (2) proved to be an efficient chiral auxiliary in the asymmetric aza-Diels-Alder reaction between cyclopentadiene and the N-benzyl imine of its glyoxylate, which afforded a virtually all-exo mixture of cycloaducts with a 1S:1R diastereomeric ratio of 63:37.     

Simplex optimization procedure for evaluating equivalence points in sigmoidal and segmented titration curves

The use of the simplex procedure as a non-linear least-squares curve-fitting method is proposed for evaluation of equivalence points in sigmoidal and segmented titration curves. The application of this procedure to theoretical curves affected by different amounts of random noise indicates its effectiveness and accuracy for locating the correct end-point in titrations characterized by very low reaction constants. The relevant results are compared with those obtained by other regression methods as well as by the first-derivative and Gran approaches.     

Electroreductive polymerization of trans-[RuCl 2(vpy) 4] on Nd-Fe-B magnets: electrochemical impedance spectroscopy interpretation, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy analysis

The electropolymerization of trans-[RuCl₂(vpy)₄] (vpy=4-vinylpyridine) monomer on Nd-Fe-B magnets was studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Impedance diagrams obtained during the polymerization process were used to monitor film formation. The EIS results gave insight into the electrochemical phenomena occurring at the magnet surface as the polymerization process progressed. The film structure and morphology were also studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The Raman spectroscopy results showed that the polymerization takes place at the vinyl groups of the monomer and also that the redox polymer structure is very similar to that of the monomer. The ratio of the intensity of the XPS peaks for fluorine (from the electrolyte PF₆ ^–) and ruthenium present in the film showed that the polymer on Nd-Fe-B contained an equal proportion of Ru²⁺ and Ru³⁺, indicating that part of the film is positively charged, i.e. {[RuCl₂(vpy)₄]⁺} _n .     

New Class of Chiral Diphosphine Ligands for Highly Efficient Transition Metal-Catalyzed Stereoselective Reactions: The Bis(diphenylphosphino) Five-membered Biheteroaryls

The synthesis and application of three examples of a new class of chiral (C(2)) atropisomeric diphosphines characterized by two interconnected five-membered heteroaromatic rings, with hindered rotation around the interanular bond, are described. Optically pure (+)- and (-)-2,2'-bis(diphenylphosphino)-4,4',6,6'-tetramethyl-3,3'-bibenzo[b]thiophene (tetraMe-bitianp) (1a) and the parent unsubstituted system (+)- and (-)-bitianp (1b) were synthesized. They were found to be optically stable at 100 degrees C and were successfully employed as ligands in the Ru(II)-catalyzed hydrogenation of alpha- and beta-oxo esters to the corresponding alpha- and beta-hydroxy esters and in the hydrogenation of olefinic substrates. The optical and chemical yields were comparable with those reported for the same Ru(II)-binap-catalyzed reactions carried out under the same experimental conditions. The 2,2'-bis(diphenylphosphino)-3,3'-bibenzo[b]furan (1c), the oxygenated analogue of bitianp, was found to be configurationally unstable at room temperature. Complete structural X-ray elucidation of the Pd complexes of 1a-c is reported. The advantages of these biheteroaromatic ligands over the classical biaryl systems are discussed.     

Experimental and DFT study of the aza-Diels-Alder reaction between cyclopentadiene and protonated benzylimine derivated from glyoxylates

The Diels-Alder reaction of protonated N-benzyl imine of methyl glyoxylate with cyclopentadiene in different solvents gave mixtures of exo/endo adducts. The exo/endo selectivity of the reaction was elucidated by NMR experiments. Theoretical calculations by means of density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level have also been performed to elucidate the molecular mechanism of this reaction. The DFT results suggest a highly asynchronous concerted mechanism, which in turn can explain the preferred exo stereoselectivity of the reaction. Inclusion of solvent effects enhances the exo selectivity, and this effect increases with the polarity of the solvent, in good agreement with the experimental findings.     

Crystallization kinetics of poly(hexamethylene succinate)

Isothermal and nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of polyester 64 have been investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry and optical microscopy. The Avrami analysis has been performed to obtain the kinetic parameters of primary crystallization. These indicate a three-dimensional spherulitic growth on heterogeneous nuclei for the isothermal crystallization, whereas an sporadic nucleation becomes dominant in the nonisothermal crystallization. The maximum crystallization rate of polyester 64 was deduced to take place at a temperature close to −3 °C. Polarizing light microscopy showed that spherulites with a negative birefringence are formed during isothermal crystallization, whereas transmission electron microscopy indicates that the b crystallographic axis is aligned parallel to the spherulitic radius.     

Effects of temperature on the triplet behavior of the styrylphenanthrene isomers

The properties of the triplet state of five styrylphenanthrene (StPh) trans isomers were studied in 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (MTHF) as a function of temperature. At room temperature the T-T absorption was observed only for 4- and 9-StPh, while under these conditions 1-, 2-, and 3-StPh have too low a quantum yield of triplet formation (Φ_T <0.02); their T-T absorption spectra were obtained at low temperature. Φ_T of 1- and 2-StPh increases more than tenfold on going from 293 to 77 K, and the triplet lifetime (τ_T) increases by four orders of magnitude and approaches values of 5–40 ms at 77 K. The change in τ_T is explained in terms of an equilibrium between trans and perpendicular (perp) conformations of the lowest triplet state in fluid solution and temperature and viscosity effects on the trans → perp rotation. Evidence is presented for the existence of two conformeric trans triplet states of 3-StPh at 77 K. Semi-empirical calculations were performed to obtain the energy of the triplet state, the wavelengths of several T-T absorption maxima (λ_T), and the oscillator strength. The calculated λ_T values coincide with those measured in n-hexane.     

Reaction of N,N'-dialkyldithiodianilines with β-ketoesters. A new synthesis of N-alkyl-2-acyl-3-oxo-3,4-dihydro-1,4-benzothiazines

The title compounds 3a-j together with the N-alkylacylketene S,N-acetals 12a-j were obtained by reaction of N,N'-dialkyldithiodianilines with β-ketoesters compounds. A possible reaction pathway is suggested.