Regioselective Formation of Dissymmetric Resorcarene Derivatives with C4-Symmetry

Inherently chiral calixarenes by a catalytic enantioselective desymmetrizing cross-dehydrogenative coupling

Under the catalysis of PdBr₂ and a chiral phosphoramidite ligand, the upper-rim mono (2-bromoaroyl)-substituted calix[4]arene derivatives underwent a facile enantioselective desymmetrization reaction to afford 9H-fluorene-embedded inherently chiral calixarenes in good yields with excellent enantioselectivities. The transannular dehydrogenative arene-arene coupling reaction proceeded most probably through an oxidative addition of the C_aryl-Br bond to a ligated palladium catalyst followed by a sequence of an enantioselective 1,5-palladium migration and an intramolecular C-H arylation sequence. This new family of inherently chiral calixarenes possesses unique chiroptical properties thanks to their highly rigid structure induced by the 9H-fluorene segment.

Control of a Chiral Property of a Calix[3]aramide: The Racemization Suppressed by Intramolecular Cyclic Hydrogen Bonds and DMSO-H2O System-Induced Spontaneous Resolution

A calix[3]aramide has been synthesized bearing three triphenylphosphinic amide moieties, which formed intramolecular cyclic hydrogen bonds that suppressed its cone/partial cone inversion. The intramolecular cyclic hydrogen bonds were disrupted by DMSO, and the insertion of H2O into the hydrogen bonds triggered the spontaneous resolution of the calix[3]aramide. Within a chiral environment, such as that afforded by the presence of optically active 2-butanol, the calix[3]aramide underwent a symmetry breaking crystallization process.

Inherently chiral concave molecules--from synthesis to applications

This tutorial review covers the recent development in the synthesis and application of molecules and finite assemblies that are chiral owing to their curvature. A modified definition of inherent chirality is provided. Various classes of chiral concave molecules are presented including salphen complexes, cyclic amides, derivatives of sumanene, trioxatricornan or subphthalocyanine, cyclotriveratrylenes, homooxacalix[3]arenes, calixarenes, resorcinarenes, phthalocyanines, corannulenes and cavitands. Some of these bowl shaped compounds exhibit high inversion barriers, comparable with the stability of classical carbon chirality centres, while the others (e.g. hydrogen bonded assemblies) can only be detected by NMR. This review is focused on practical aspects of synthesis, resolution and applications in chiral recognition and asymmetric synthesis.

Chiral encapsulation by directional interactions

The complexation of chiral guests in the cavity of dimeric self-assembled chiral capsule 1(2) was studied by using NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. Capsule 1(2) has walls composed of amino acid backbones forming numerous directional binding sites that are arranged in a chiral manner. The polar character of the interior dictates the encapsulation preferences towards hydrophilic guests and the ability of the capsule to extract guests from water into an organic phase. Chiral discrimination towards hydroxy acids was evaluated by using association constants and competition experiments, and moderate de values were observed (up to 59 %). Complexes with one or two guest molecules in the cavity were formed. For 1:1 complexes, solvent molecules are coencapsulated; this influences guest dynamics and makes the chiral recognition solvent dependent. Reversal of the preferences can be induced by coencapsulation of a nonchiral solvent in the chiral internal environment. For complexes with two guests, filling of the capsule's internal space can be very effective and packing coefficients of up to 70 % can be reached. The X-ray crystal structure of complex 1(2) superset((S)-6)(2) with well-resolved guest molecules reveals a recognition motif that is based on an extensive system of hydrogen bonds. The optimal arrangement of interactions with the alternating positively and negatively charged groups of the capsule's walls is fulfilled by the guest carboxylic groups acting simultaneously as hydrogen-bond donors and acceptors. An additional guest molecule interacting externally with the capsule reveals a possible entrance mechanism involving a polar gate. In solution, the structural features and dynamic behavior of the D(4)-symmetric homochiral capsule were analyzed by variable-temperature NMR spectroscopy and the results were compared with those for the S(8)-symmetric heterochiral capsule.

Cyclochiral conformers of resorcin[4]arenes stabilized by hydrogen bonds

Cyclochiral resorcinarenes, that maintain their cyclochirality by means of hydrogen bonds, were synthesized by a sequence of reactions involving the Mannich reaction, removal of the N,O-acetal bridge and subsequent N-substitution with an RCO group. During this study it was found that ethyl nitroacetate is a mild and very efficient agent for N,O-acetal bridge removal. The resulting resorcinarenes 4a-j exist in cyclochiral/inherently chiral kite conformations (resembling 4-bladed propellers) that are stabilized by eight hydrogen bonds (in both solid state and solution). It is shown that the cycloisomerization process is characterized by the relatively high racemization barrier (14.6-18.5 kcal mol(-1) as determined by 2D EXSY) and thus it can be concluded that the transformation of one cycloconformer into the other requires the simultaneous rupture of all eight hydrogen bonds. For derivatives with additional stereogenic centers two cyclodiastereoisomeric conformations were detected (diastereomeric excess in the range of 72% up to >95%). The experimental results are additionally supported by AM1 semi-empirical calculations.

Spin labeling monitors weak host-guest interactions

A resorcinarene bearing four TEMPO units recognizes small molecules in solutions.

Partial aminomethylation of resorcarenes

Aminomethylation of resorcarenes at the wider rim with bulky diisopropylamine and formaline leads to trisubstituted derivatives. Analogous reaction with C(2v)-symmetrical resorcarene tetratosylate gives the monoaminomethylated compound. Further reactions of remaining unsubstituted resorcinol rings result in new resorcarene derivatives. [reaction: see text]