Die diasteromeren Aurochrome: Synthese,Analytik und Chiroptische Eigenschaften

The Diastereomeric Aurochromes: Their Synthesis, Analysis and Chiroptical Properties (all-E)-Aurochrome (5,8:5′,8′-diepoxy-5,8,5′,8′-tetrahydro-β,β-carotene; 1 ) has two pairs of constitutionally identical chiral centres and, therefore, is expected to exist in four pairs of enantiomers and two meso-forms. Using starting materials with well-defined configuration, we performed the syntheses of the following pure aurochromes: (5R,8R,5′R,8′R)-aurochrome ( 2 ) and its racemate, Meso-(5R,8R,5′S,8′S)-aurochrome ( 3 ), (5 R,8 S,5′ R,8′ S)-aurochrome ( 4 ) and its racemate, meso-(5R,8S,5′S,8′R)-aurochrome ( 5 ), (5R,8R,5′R,8′S)-aurochrome ( 6 ) and its racemate. The (5RS,8RS,5′SR,8′RS)-aurochrome ( 7 ) was detected chromatographically, using a HPLC system that allows clean separation of the four racemic- (or optically active) and the two meso-aurochromes. The optically active autochromes 2 and 4 exhibit non-conservative CD spectra with strong Cotton effects of opposite but not mirror-like tracings. Solutions of aurochromes in CHCl₃, in the presence of HCl, undergo epimerization at C(8). Those epimers with CH₃ trans to C(9) slightly predominate under equilibrium conditions. Deprotonation of the phosphonate (±)- 14 with strong base causes isomerization at the terminal oxirane into a dihydrofuran. This reaction allowed convenient syntheses of the diastereoisomeric aurochromes (±)- 2, 3 , (±)- 4, 5 , (±)- 6 , and (±)- 7 and of (5RS, 8RS)- and (5RS, 8SR)-12′-apo-aurochrome-12′-als ( 21 and 22 , respectively).