Chiral discrimination with regioselectively substituted cellulose esters as chiral stationary phases

Spatioselective surface chemistry for the production of functional and chemically anisotropic nanocellulose colloids

Maximizing the benefits of nanomaterials from biomass requires unique considerations associated with their native chemical and physical structure. Both cellulose nanofibrils and nanocrystals are extracted from cellulose fibers via a top-down approach and have significantly advanced materials chemistry and set new benchmarks in the last decade. One major challenge has been to prepare defined and selectively modified nanocelluloses, which would, e.g., allow optimal particle interactions and thereby further improve the properties of processed materials. At the molecular and crystallite level, the surface of nanocelluloses offers an alternating chemical structure and functional groups of different reactivity, enabling straightforward avenues towards chemically anisotropic and molecularly patterned nanoparticles via spatioselective chemical modification. In this review, we will explain the influence and role of the multiscale hierarchy of cellulose fibers in chemical modifications, and critically discuss recent advances in selective surface chemistry of nanocelluloses. Finally, we will demonstrate the potential of those chemically anisotropic nanocelluloses in materials science and discuss challenges and opportunities in this field.

Regioselectively substituted cellulose benzoate propionates for compensation film in optical displays

Cellulose benzoate propionates (CBzP) were prepared via a staged addition of Pr₂O followed by Bz₂O to cellulose dissolved in tributylmethylammonium dimethyl phosphate (TBMADMP) providing regioselectively substituted cellulose esters in which the benzoate was preferentially installed at C2 and C3. By systematically varying the DS_Pr, DS_Bz, and DS_OH (DS = degree of substitution), we synthesized CBzP that could potentially be utilized as a unique compensation film in optical displays.

Transforming Separation Science with Single-Molecule Methods

Empirical optimization of the multiscale parameters underlying chromatographic and membrane separations leads to enormous resource waste and production costs. A bottom-up approach to understand the physical phenomena underlying challenges in separations is possible with single-molecule observations of solute-stationary phase interactions. We outline single-molecule fluorescence techniques that can identify key interactions under ambient conditions. Next, we describe how studying increasingly complex samples heightens the relevance of single-molecule results to industrial applications. Finally, we illustrate how separation methods that have not been studied at the single-molecule scale can be advanced, using chiral chromatography as an example case. We hope new research directions based on a molecular approach to separations will emerge based on the ideas, technologies, and open scientific questions presented in this Perspective.

Regioselective esterification and etherification of cellulose: a review

Deep understanding of the structure-property relationships of polysaccharide derivatives depends on the ability to control the position of the substituents around the monosaccharide ring and along the chain. Equally important is the ability to analyze position of substitution. Historically, both synthetic control and analysis of regiochemistry have been very difficult for cellulose derivatives, as for most other polysaccharide derivatives. With the advent of cellulose solvents that are suitable for chemical transformations, it has become possible to carry out cellulose derivatization under conditions sufficiently mild to permit increasingly complete regiochemical control, particularly with regard to the position of the substituents around the anhydroglucose ring. In addition, new techniques for forming cellulose and its derivatives from monomers, either by enzyme-catalyzed processes or chemical polymerization, permit us to address new frontiers in regiochemical control. We review these exciting developments in regiocontrolled synthesis of cellulose derivatives and their implications for in-depth structure-property studies.

Studies of the resolution of racemic 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol with a dipeptide chiral selector identified from a small library

Several new stationary phases were prepared to study the structure-activity relationship of the chiral resolution of racemic 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol with a modified dipeptide Asn-Asn selector. The number of amino acid, the side chain protecting groups of the amino acid, and the Fmoc end-capping group all proved important for enantioselectivity. The linker also influenced enantioselectivity. Influence of the length of the linker appears to be related to the accessibility of chiral selectors. The bond through which the selector is attached to the linker proved important. Based on these results, it is postulated that hydrogen bonding interactions between one side chain amide group of one Asn and the oxygen on the backbone of another Asn with the two hydroxyl groups of the analyte play an important role in the resolution of racemic 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol with the modified dipeptide Asn-Asn selector.

Cellulose Dimethylphenylcarbamate-bonded Carbon-clad Zirconia for Chiral Separation in High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Porous zirconia particles are very robust material and have received considerable attention as a stationary phase support for HPLC. We prepared cellulose dimethylphenylcarbamate-bonded carbon-clad zirconia (CDMPCCZ) as a chiral stationary phase (CSP) for separation of enantiomers of a set of 14 racemic compounds in normal phase (NP) and reversed-phase (RP) liquid chromatography. Retention and enantioselectivity on CDMPCCZ were compared to those on CDMPC-coated zirconia (CDMPCZ) to see how the change in immobilization method of the chiral selector affects the retention and chiral selectivity. In NPLC, retention was longer and the number of resolved racemates was smaller on CDMPCCZ than on CDMPCZ. However, chiral selectivity factors for some resolved racemates were better on CDMPCCZ than on CDMPCZ. The longer retention on CDMPCCZ is likely due to strong, non-chiral discriminating interactions with the carbon layer on CDMPCZ. In RPLC only two racemates were resolved on CDMPCCZ, but retention times were shorter than, and resolutions were comparable to, those in NPLC, indicating a potential for improving chromatographic performance of the CDMPCCZ column in RPLC with optimized column preparation and separation conditions.

Highly Efficient Chromatographic Resolution of α,α‘-Dihydroxybiaryls

[graph: see text] Separation factors as high as 115 were observed for the chromatographic resolution of many alpha,alpha'-dihydroxybiaryls with a single chiral stationary phase made from readily available amino acid derivatives. The stationary phase works well for biphenyl-type compounds. It works extremely well for larger bis-aromatic compounds, such as binaphthyl-type compounds.

Efficient resolution of racemic 1,1′-bi-2-naphthol with chiral selectors identified from a small library

Efficient resolution of racemic 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol, a well-studied analyte in chiral separation, was achieved using selectors developed from a small library. Separation factors (up to 7.2) obtained are significantly higher than the ones reported previously for this analyte. The library consists of 121 members and it does not contain the pi deficient 3,5-dinitrobenzoyl (Dnb) group. These highly efficient stationary phases may lead to the practical large-scale chromatographic resolution of enantiomers of 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol, which are widely used as chiral auxiliaries and ligands in asymmetric synthesis.