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Cysteine (Cys) is a key amino acid in many therapeutic peptides. For research and industrial purposes, solid-phase peptide synthesis is the method of choice for the preparation of most peptides. The solid-phase synthesis of C-terminal Cys peptide acids is problematic because it is accompanied by a side reaction, namely, the abstraction of α-H from the Cys residue, which leads to the formation of three side products: the epimer and two N-piperidinyl-Ala epimer peptides. Here, we used a chlorotrityl chloride resin to conduct a rational and in-depth study of this side reaction. The following variables were examined: removal of the fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc) group by different bases, the presence or absence of an acid rectifier for buffering the base, and thiol side-chain protection. In conclusion, the use of Fmoc-Cys protected with tetrahydropyran (Thp) and 4-methoxytrityl (Mmt) along with 30% 4-methylpiperidine in 0.5 M OxymaPure-DMF for Fmoc removal assures minimization of the side reaction, as demonstrated in a model peptide and confirmed for the elongation of somatostatin., This work was partially funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF) (Blue Sky’s Research Programme # 120386).

Bridged indigos were synthesized by bridging the two nitrogen atoms in the indigo structure with a carbon chain, and their properties were carefully examined. These bridged indigos have intrinsic planar chirality, and the enantiomers were separated using chiral high-performance liquid chromatography. When the chiral bridged indigos were subjected to thermo- and photoisomerization, the corresponding (Z)-indigo was not observed at all, and racemization was observed. This phenomenon is caused by the low activation energy of inversion due to the 1.5 bond order of the double bond of the indigo skeleton and the large energy difference between the ground states of (E)-indigo and (Z)-indigo.

A sulfur-involved ligation for thioamide quasi-peptides was developed via amino acids and amino aldehydes coupling. The key to the transformation was the chelation of copper with imines for chiral activation and fixation. In this environment, linear polysulfur decreased the alkalinity of single sulfur anions to prevent racemization caused by the interaction between sulfur and sodium sulfide. Dipeptides, tripeptides, tetrapeptides, and the linkage between the drug and amino acids were successfully obtained.

Route design and proof of concept synthesis was conducted on a synthetically challenging atropisomeric KRASG12C inhibitor to support clinical API manufacture. Improvements to the synthesis of a chiral piperazine fragment gave reduced step count and streamlined protecting group strategy via the formation and methanol ring opening of an N-carboxy-anhydride (NCA). The complex atropisomeric nitroquinoline was accessed via an early stage salt-resolution followed by a formal two-part nitromethane-carbonylation, avoiding a high temperature Gould-Jacobs cyclization that previously led to atropisomer racemization. The substrate scope of the formal nitromethane-carbonylation strategy was further explored for a range of ortho-substituted bromo/iodo unprotected anilines.

An efficient triphenylphosphine oxide-catalyzed amidation and esterification for the rapid synthesis of a series of dipeptides, amides, and esters is described. This reaction is applicable to challenging couplings of hindered carboxylic acids with weakly nucleophilic amines or alcohols, giving the products in good yields (67-90%) without racemization. This system employs the highly reactive intermediate Ph3PCl2 as the activator of the carboxylate in a catalytic manner and drives the reaction to completion in a short reaction time (less than 10 min).

A previously unreported heterodetic cyclic peptide, homophymamide A (1), was isolated from a Homophymia sp. marine sponge. The structure of homophymamide A was determined to be a lower homologue of anabaenopeptins by spectroscopic analysis, chemical degradation, and chemical synthesis. Analysis of the acidic hydrolysate showed that the racemization of Lys took place, leading us to pose a cautionary note on the configurational assignment of peptides that contain a ureido bond.

Cannabichromene (CBC) is unusual among cannabinoids in having been described as both a racemic and a scalemic compound from natural Cannabis sources. Several explanations are available for this circumstance, including facile racemization. Cannabichromene was resolved chromatographically, and the enantiomer matching CBC from local Cannabis was identified. To preclude racemization, CBC was converted to cannabicyclol for further stereochemical analysis. This permitted the (R) absolute stereochemistry to be assigned to natural CBC based on chiroptical data for related natural products and the absolute configuration of a cannabicyclol analog determined by X-ray crystallography. The racemization of CBC was found to be rather slow in the laboratory, but handling practices for natural cannabis products can be inferred to promote the process.

We address the purification of the target enantiomer of a chiral compound from its racemic mixture, through simulated moving bed (SMB) chromatography either as a standalone or combined with the recycle and racemization of the undesired enantiomer. We carry out a comparative assessment of the two processes with focus on the role of the racemization kinetics, on the effect of the selectivity of the chiral stationary phase, and of the upstream symmetric synthesis of the racemate. The analysis is general thanks to the methods adopted for the optimal design of the integrated process (with racemization) and for the sizing of the SMB unit, as well as for the use of the four generalized Langmuir adsorption isotherms. In this way, we determine quantitative criteria that show that the standalone SMB process outperforms the integrated process when the performance of the racemization catalyst or the chiral stationary phase is poor and the racemic feed is inexpensive., Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 60 (29), ISSN:1520-5045, ISSN:0888-5885

In this work, we examine the chromatographic purification of the chiral amide N-(2-methyl-benzylidene)-phenylglycine amide (NMPA). Specifically, we find that its adsorption behavior on an AY polysaccharidic chiral stationary phase (amylose tris(5-chloro-2-methylphenylcarbamate)), with acetonitrile as mobile phase, follows an uncommon type-1 mixed Langmuir isotherm. Moreover, we measure the racemization rate of NMPA when polymer-supported 1,8-diazabicycloundec-7-ene (DBU) is used as a catalyst in a fixed-bed reactor. We also determine the system's solid-liquid equilibria at different temperatures. This characterization is necessary for the design of an integrated process where simulated moving bed (SMB) chromatography is combined with racemization for the recycle of the undesired enantiomer. On the basis of the physicochemical properties above, three-column intermittent SMB (3C-ISMB) experiments were run at different concentrations and compositions to prove that an enantiopure product can be obtained when the separation is operated at high feed concentrations (nonlinear chromatographic conditions) in the case not only of a racemic feed but also of nonracemic feeds, which are relevant for the integrated process when racemization is slow, and thus incomplete., Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 60 (29), ISSN:1520-5045, ISSN:0888-5885

Under the guidance of MS/MS-based molecular networking and HPLC-UV, two new alkaloid racemates, (±)-17-hydroxybrevianamide N (1) and (±)-N1-methyl-17-hydroxybrevianamide N (2), featuring a rare o-hydroxyphenylalanine residue and an imide subunit, were isolated from a soft-coral-derived Aspergillus sp. fungus. The true natural products (+)-1 and (+)-2 were further monitored and obtained from the freshly prepared EtOAc extracts, while (-)-1 and (-)-2 are artifacts generated during extraction and purification processes. Simultaneously, the structures including absolute configurations of (+)-13S-1, (-)-13R-1, (+)-13S-2, and (-)-13R-2 were elucidated on the basis of comprehensive spectroscopic analysis, ECD calculations, and X-ray diffraction data. Interestingly, basic solution promotes the racemization of (+)-1 and (-)-1, whereas acidic solution suppresses the transformation. The current research was concerned with the true natural products and their artifacts, providing critical insight into the isolation and identification of natural products.

The synthesis of highly stereoregular poly(mandelic acid) (PMA) via controllable polymerization is a considerable challenge because of the easy racemization of monomers during polymerization; conse...

Racemization is considered to be an intrinsic stereochemical feature of free radical chemistry as can be seen in traditional radical halogenation reactions of optically active tertiary C–H bonds. If the facile process of radical racemization could be effectively combined with an ensuing step of bond formation in an enantioselective fashion, then it would give rise to deracemizative functionalization of racemic tertiary C–H bonds for stereoselective construction of chiral molecules bearing quaternary stereocenters. As a demonstration of this unique potential in radical chemistry, we herein report that metalloradical catalysis can be successfully applied to devise Co(II)-based catalytic system for enantioconvergent radical amination of racemic tertiary C(sp(3))–H bonds. The key to the success of the radical process is the development of Co(II)-based metalloradical catalyst with fitting steric, electronic, and chiral environments of the D(2)-symmetric chiral amidoporphyrin as the supporting ligand. The existence of optimal reaction temperature is recognized as an important factor in the realization of the enantioconvergent radical process. Supported by an optimized chiral ligand, the Co(II)-based metalloradical system can effectively catalyze the enantioconvergent 1,6-amination of racemic tertiary C(sp(3))–H bonds at the optimal temperature, affording chiral α-tertiary amines in excellent yields with high enantiocontrol of the newly created quaternary stereocenters. Systematic studies, including experiments utilizing optically active deuterium-labeled C–H substrates as a model system, shed light on the underlying mechanistic details of this new catalytic process for enantioconvergent radical C–H amination. The remarkable power to create quaternary stereocenters bearing multiple functionalities from ubiquitous C–H bonds, as showcased with stereoselective construction of bicyclic N-heterocycles, opens the door for future synthetic applications of this new radical technology.

Racemic and enantioselective syntheses of γ-phenyl-γ-amino vinyl phosphonates and sulfones have been achieved using Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons olefination of trityl protected α-phenyl-α-amino aldehydes with tetraethyl methylenediphosphonate and diethyl ((phenylsulfonyl)methyl)phosphonate, respectively, without any racemization. The present strategy has also been successfully applied to the synthesis of peptidyl vinyl phosphonate and peptidyl vinyl sulfone derivatives as potential cysteine protease inhibitors of Chagas disease, K11002, with 100% de. The developed synthetic protocol was further utilized to synthesize hybrid molecules consisting of artemisinin as an inhibitor of major cysteine protease falcipain-2 present in the food vacuole of the malarial parasite. The synthesized artemisinin–dipeptidyl vinyl sulfone hybrid compounds showed effective in vitro inhibition of falcipain-2 and potent parasiticidal efficacies against Plasmodium falciparum in nanomolar ranges. Overall, the developed synthetic protocol could be effectively utilized to design cysteine protease inhibitors not only as novel antimalarial compounds but also to be involved in other life-threatening diseases.

Although highly challenging, spontaneous crystallization without racemization can be an innovative strategy for the facile preparation of an enantioselective conglomerate with planar chirality. The...

Solid-state deracemization via temperature cycles is a technique that has been shown to be effective to isolate the pure enantiomer of a conglomerate-forming compound. This process has a large number of operating parameters that can be adjusted according to system-specific properties. On the one hand, this feature makes the process flexible and prone to optimization. On the other hand, the design space is so large that experimental optimization of the process can become long and cumbersome. In this work, we achieve two results. First, we show that deracemization via temperature cycles works very effectively for two new experimental systems, namely, the chiral compounds 2-(benzylideneamino)-2-(2-chlorophenyl)acetamide (CPG) and 3,3-dimethyl-2-((naphthalen-2-ylmethylene)amino)butanenitrile (tLEU). Second, we propose a new approach for the design of an effective deracemization process via temperature cycles for a new compound. Therefore, in this work, we investigate the effect of different operating conditions, namely, the initial enantiomeric excess, the cooling rate, the temperature range, and the catalyst concentration, on the performance of deracemization via temperature cycles for the new compounds CPG and tLEU and for N-(2-methylbenzylidene)phenylglycine amide (NMPA), which was already studied in a previous paper. On the basis of these outcomes, we conclude by proposing a model-free screening strategy for the design of an effective deracemization process via temperature cycles for a new compound., Organic Process Research & Development, 24 (8), ISSN:1083-6160, ISSN:1520-586X

An original synthesis of Ca, Mg and Zn 2-ethylhexanoate (octoate) obtained by reaction between metallic powder with 2-ethylhexanoic acid was achieved. The activities of obtaining biocompatible cata...

A concise, recyclable, and efficient process is presented for the preparation of (S)-ketamine (esketamine, (S)-1a) via classic resolution combined with the recycling of the undesired isomer. With commercially available ketone 2 as the starting material, this procedure features three steps including (1) an unique hydroxylation-ring expansion rearrangement, (2) mild amination via methanesulfonate, and (3) chiral separation using L-(+)-tartaric acid. The three simple steps are all performed in mild conditions and (S)-1a tartrate is obtained in 99.5% ee without recrystallization. Subsequently, racemization of the unwanted (R)-1a remained in resolution mother liquor was performed in the presence of a Lewis acid in quantitative yield with >99.0% chemical purity. This original and economical process afforded esketamine in 67.4% (28.9% without racemization) overall yield with two times recycling of the mother liquor without column purification. In addition, this procedure can also be applied to the preparation of (S)-norketamine, which is a safer potential antidepressant.

Differentially substituted 1,2-amino alcohols are a prevalent motif in a variety of pharmaceutical and agrochemical molecules. Dynamic kinetic resolutions (DKRs) that involve the asymmetric reducti...

AR-42 is an orally active inhibitor of histone deacetylases (HDACs) in clinical trials for multiple myeloma, leukemia, and lymphoma. It has few hydrogen bond donors and acceptors but is a chiral 2-arylbutyrate and potentially prone to racemization. We report achiral AR-42 analogues incorporating a cycloalkyl group linked via a quaternary carbon atom, with up to 40-fold increased potency against human class I HDACs (e.g., JT86, IC50 0.7 nM, HDAC1), 25-fold increased cytotoxicity against five human cancer cell lines, and up to 70-fold less toxicity in normal human cells. JT86 was ninefold more potent than racAR-42 in promoting accumulation of acetylated histone H4 in MM96L melanoma cells. Molecular modeling and structure-activity relationships support binding to HDAC1 with tetrahydropyran acting as a hydrophobic shield from water at the enzyme surface. Such potent inhibitors of class I HDACs may show benefits in diseases (cancers, parasitic infections, inflammatory conditions) where AR-42 is active.

An ynamide-mediated one-pot, two-step intermolecular esterification via the condensation of carboxylic acids with nucleophilic hydroxyl species was reported. A broad substrate scope with respect to carboxylic acids, alcohols, and phenols was observed. The α-acyloxyenamide intermediates formed by the addition of carboxylic acids to ynamides proved to be effective acylating reagents for the esterification of alcohol and phenol derivatives with the assistance of base catalysis. Notably, the racemization of the α-chiral center of carboxylic acids can be avoided.

Histidine (His) racemizes with relative ease during peptide synthesis. One strategy to suppress this racemization is to protect the nitrogen atom of the imidazole moiety in His with a suitable prot...

Bronsted acid-catalyzed addition of the chiral N,N′-dioxide into ynamides generated enolonium ions in situ which underwent enantioselective alkylation by indoles, pyrroles, and phenols, without racemization of the formed tertiary center. This external oxidant approach allows for the use of unmodified nucleophiles and does not leave trace groups from the oxidant, which significantly increases the synthetic efficiency and the product diversity. Furthermore, the byproduct of the N,N′-dioxide could be efficiently recycled into an optically pure form.

Lactide is an important monomer in the industrial production of PLA, which is one of the materials with the greatest potential for replacing petroleum-based polymers. In view of the low yields of l...

Novel antilipid peroxidative carbazole alkaloids, antiostatin A5 (1), antiostatin A6 (2), and (±)-morindolestatin (3), were isolated from a new soil-derived Streptomyces sp. Compound 2 possesses an unusual cyclohexene side chain. Compound 3 was a pair of enantiomers featuring an unprecedented [1,4]oxazino[2,3-c]carbazole ring system. The absolute configuration of 3 was determined by online HPLC-ECD and ECD calculation. A racemization mechanism and putative biosynthetic pathway are discussed.

The 9-phenyl-9-fluorenyl (PhF) group has been used as an Nα protecting group of amino acids and their derivatives mainly as a result of its ability to prevent racemization. However, installing this group using the standard protocol, which employs 9-bromo-9-phenylfluorene/K3PO4/Pb(NO3)2, often takes days and yields can be variable. Here, we demonstrate that the PhF group can be introduced into the amino group of Weinreb's amides and methyl esters of amino acids, as well as into alcohols and carboxylic acids, rapidly and in excellent yields, using 9-chloro-9-phenylfluorene (PhFCl)/N-methylmorpholine (NMM)/AgNO3. Nα-PhF-protected amino acids can be prepared from unprotected α-amino acids, rapidly and often in near quantitative yields, by treatment with N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)acetamide (BSA) and then PhFCl/NMM/AgNO3. Primary alcohols can be protected with the PhF group in the presence of secondary alcohols in moderate yield. Using PhFCl/AgNO3, a primary alcohol can be protected in good yield in the presence of a primary ammonium salt or a carboxylic acid. Primary sulfonamides and amides can be protected in moderate to good yields using phenylfluorenyl alcohol (PhFOH)/BF3·OEt2/K3PO4, while thiols can be protected in good to excellent yield using PhFOH/BF3·OEt2 even in the presence of a carboxylic acid or primary ammonium group.

The Bronsted base promoted (3 + 1) annulation reaction of C,N-cyclic azomethine imines and 3-chlorooxindoles was investigated, finally delivering complex hexahydroindeno[2,1-c] pyrazoles incorporating a spirocyclic oxindole motif after an unexpected rearrangement process. The asymmetric version of this new transformation could be accomplished, but slow racemization of the chiral product was observed at ambient temperature. Experiments and DFT calculations were further conducted to elucidate the reaction process and racemization mechanism.

An efficient triphenylphosphine oxide (Ph3PO) catalyzed amidation and esterification reaction for rapid synthesis of a series of dipeptides, amides and esters under mild condition is described. This reaction is applicable to challenging couplings of hindered carboxylic acid with low nucleophilic amine or alcohol, giving products in good yields (67-90%) without any racemization. This system employs highly reactive intermediate Ph3PCl2 as activator of carboxylate, in a catalytic manner, and drive the reac-tion to complete in short reaction time (less than 10 min). It has the advantages of good functional group tolerance, broad sub-strate scope and good atom-economy. A 100 mmol scale reaction with good yield shed light on its potential for industrial ap-plication. A plausible mechanism is proposed based on 31P NMR monitor of reaction process.

Catalyzed stereoconvergent 1,4-additions to unsaturated carbonyls are rare but of high potential value. This letter details the development of enantioselective arylation reactions of boronic acids and β,γ-butenolides. These reactions are catalyzed by commercially available hydroxy[(S)-BINAP]-rhodium(I) dimer to afford stereochemically complex γ-butyrolactone derivatives. The reaction products provide functionality amenable to further manipulation and can lead to products with up to three contiguous stereocenters. The reaction proceeds under a dynamic kinetic resolution manifold by isomerizing the achiral starting material into an interconverting mixture of enantiomeric conjugate acceptors, followed by catalyst-controlled, enantiomer-selective 1,4-addition. Base-promoted racemization of the intermediate α,β-butenolide is possible due to the high kinetic and thermodynamic acidity of the γ-proton.

Sterically congested chiral alcohol and amines have gained tremendous attention in the design of asymmetric catalysts. Herein, the synthesis of a sterically congested bis-adamantane framework-based chiral alcohol, (1R,2S,3S,4R)-4-(2-adamantyl)adamantan-2-ol, and amine, (1R,2S,3S,4R)-4-(2-adamantyl)adamantan-2-amine, is described. Access to these sterically encumbered compounds is found via the preparation of an enantioenriched 4-adamantyladamantan-2-one intermediate, which was synthesized in 6 steps from adamantan-2-one. The key step involved enzyme-catalyzed ester hydrolysis in giving unsaturated alcohol with an enantiomeric excess of >95%. This adamantylidene adamantanol was subjected to an acid-catalyzed intramolecular [1,4] shift to give the key chiral intermediate without racemization. This ketone intermediate was transformed into the target compounds via reduction and reductive amination protocols.

The racemization process of various 1,1′-binaphthyl derivatives is studied by quantum calculations. The preferred racemization pathway passes through a transition state belonging to the Ci symmetry group. The energy barrier for this process is independent of solvation, the electron-withdrawing/releasing power of substituents, or their ability to engage in H-bonds within the molecule. The primary factor is instead the substituent size. The barrier is thus reduced when the −OH groups of 1,1′-bi-2-naphthol are replaced by H. There is a drop in the barrier also when the substituents are moved from the 2,2′ positions to 6,6′, where they will not come close to one another in the transition state. Upon removal of the peripheral aromatic rings of the binaphthyl system, the biphenyl system undergoes a facile racemization. It is concluded that the optimal means of improving optical stability of 1,1′-binaphthyl systems is the substitution of large bulky groups in the 2,2′ positions.

The first racemization-stable helicene derivatives fluorinated at terminal rings, 1,2,3,4-tetrafluoro[6]helicene (6) and 1,2,3,4,13,14,15,16-octafluoro[6]helicene (15), were synthesized via the Wittig reaction followed by oxidative photocyclization in an overall yield of 41% of 6 and 76% of 15. The changed electronic structure in fluorinated helicenes was reflected in a slight shift of UV-vis absorption, fluorescence excitation, and emission spectra maxima when compared to unsubstituted [6]helicene. Cyclic voltammetry revealed a moderate decrease in the HOMO-LUMO gap with increasing fluorination. The specific rotation of tetrafluoro[6]helicene 6 enantiomers was found to be approximately 25% lower than that of unsubstituted [6]helicene. The theoretical study of the racemization barrier suggested a reasonable shift toward higher energy with increasing fluorination. The increasing fluorination also significantly affected the intermolecular interactions in the crystal lattice. The observed CH···F interactions led to the formation of 1D-molecular chains in the crystal structures of both fluorinated helicenes.

Ring-opening polymerization of O-carboxyanhydrides (OCAs) can furnish polyesters with a diversity of functional groups that are traditionally hard to harvest by polymerization of lactones. Typical ring-opening catalysts are subject to unavoidable racemization of most OCA monomers, which hampers the synthesis of highly isotactic crystalline polymers. Here, we describe an effective bifunctional single-molecule organocatalysis for selective ring-opening polymerization of OCAs without epimerization. The close vicinity of both activating groups in the same molecule engenders an amplified synergetic effect and thus allows for the use of mild bases, thereby leading to minimal epimerization for polymerization. Ring-opening polymerization of manOCA monomer (OCA from mandelic acid) mediated by the bifunctional single-molecule organocatalyst yields highly isotactic poly(mandelic acid) (PMA) with controlled molecular weights (up to 19.8 kg mol–1). Mixing of the two enantiomers of PMA generates the first example of a ...

We report the first example of a catalytic asymmetric reductive amination under dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) conditions for the preparation of a chiral amine as a key intermediate toward Tofacitinib, an active pharmaceutical ingredient developed by Pfizer. Such a protocol allows the preferential formation of a single product out of four possible diastereomers of the chiral amine starting from the corresponding racemic ketone. The chiral iridium catalyst able to perform such a feast was discovered through a mix of high-throughput screening, racemization study, and reaction optimization.

Conventional enantioselective preparative chromatographic separation using columns packed with chiral stationary phase is characterized by a 50% yield constraint. Racemization of the undesired enan...

Azaspirene and related congeners, which possess various biological activities, have a unique spirocyclic core structure. However, there are few studies on the chemical properties of (-)-azaspirene, despite the fact that it may provide important insights into unveiling the biosynthetic pathway. Here, we report a nine-step chemical synthesis of an azaspirene analogue with a new finding that the natural (-)-azaspirene skeleton easily racemizes in neutral aqueous media.

5,14-Diaryldiindeno[2,1- f:1',2' -j]picene (DDP, 1), a thermally and chemically stable helical arene, can be prepared from 1,4-bis[2-(arylethynyl)phenyl]benzene in four synthetic steps. Its helical backbone, which incorporates an o-quinodimethane moiety, was verified by X-ray crystallography, and this structural feature results in a very high barrier to racemization (exceeding 50 kcal/mol). DDP possesses versatile and promising properties, including a small HOMO-LUMO energy gap (1.31 eV for the dimesityl-substituted derivative 1ab), an electron spin resonance (ESR)-active character, a small triplet-singlet energy gap (4.75 kcal/mol), broad photoabsorption covering the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared (NIR) regions, two-photon absorption in the NIR range, and respectable ambipolar charge-transport behavior in a solution-processed organic field-effect transistor.

Chiral crystalline compounds of the series of [Ln(α2-P2W17O61)2]17- polyanions embracing nearly all the lanthanide (Ln) ions were successfully isolated using Pro (proline) as a chiral director. In each compound, the polyanion and Pro were associated through a stereoselective interaction involving N(H)···O hydrogen bonding. 31P NMR and circular dichroism studies revealed the induction of chirality by Pro in the racemic aqueous systems of the [Ln(α2-P2W17O61)2]17- polyanions, i.e., the Pfeiffer effect. Mechanistically, this racemization was regulated by competitive enantiomeric interactions between the l-/d-Pro and l-/d-polyanions, with only one racemization route (the on-site rotation of the [α2-P2W17O61)]10- unit) observed, independent of the nature of Ln.

It has been recently observed that a suspension of conglomerate crystals of both chiralities in contact with a solution where racemization takes place can undergo symmetry breaking due to periodic fluctuations in temperature. The interplay between the mechanisms behind this process is still a matter of debate, although there is consensus that growth/dissolution of crystals and racemization in the solution phase play a crucial role. In this work, we present a population balance model (PBM), based on temperature-size dependent solubility, which simulates a system of enantiomeric crystals of both chiralities subjected to Ostwald ripening under periodic temperature fluctuations, in the presence of a liquid-phase racemization reaction. Our simulations reveal that for a racemic system with small initial size asymmetries between the enantiomers complete deracemization is achieved due to temperature fluctuations, whereas isothermal Ostwald ripening only leads to partial enantiomeric enrichment. This implies that ...

Pentahelicene (PH) exhibits the largest absorption (gabs) and luminescence (glum) dissymmetry factors among the helicene family but is configurationally and (photo)chemically labile, encumbering its application to chiroptical materials. To bypass the pitfalls, three PH units are merged in a single molecule to build D3-symmetric triple pentahelicene, hexabenzotriphenylene (HBT), which attains indeed the configurational and (photo)chemical robustness through equilibrium with a C2-symmetric conformer that interrupts the racemization and photocyclization. UV–vis, circular dichroism (CD), and circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) spectral examinations reveal the significantly larger gabs and glum values for HBT than for any of configurationally robust single [n]helicene (n ≥ 6) and C2-symmetric triple pentahelicene, trinaphthotriphenylene (TNT). Theoretical calculations precisely reproduce the main features of the experimental CD and CPL spectra of PH, HBT, and TNT, and the relevant electric and magnetic tra...

An efficient and robust synthetic route to (+)-ambrisentan ((+)-AMB) was designed by recycling the unwanted isomer from the resolution mother liquors. The racemization of AMB in the absence of either acid or base in the given solvents was reported. The recovery process was developed to produce racemates with purities over 99.5%. The mechanism of the formation of the process-related impurities of (+)-AMB is also discussed in detail. (+)-AMB was obtained in 47% overall yield with >99.5% purity and 99.8% e.e. by chiral resolution with only one recycling of the mother liquors on a 100-g scale without column purification.

Photolysis and photoracemization are two important photochemical phenomena of the prototype complexes [Ru(bipy)3]2+ and [Ru(phen)3]2+ (bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline), but little is known about their relations. To solve this issue, the photoinduced chiral inversion Δ⇌Λ of the complexes was analyzed theoretically. The results indicated that the photoracemization reaction proceeds on the lowest triplet potential energy surface in three steps 3CTΔ↔3MCΔ, 3MCΔ↔3MCΛ, and 3MCΛ↔3CTΛ (CT = charge transfer state; MC = metal-centered state). Where the first and third steps are fast processes of picoseconds, the second is the rate-determining step (RDS) of microseconds. Such a slow step for the racemization leads to the excited molecule lingering around the bottom of 3MC state after the first step and, therefore, greatly enhances the possibility of deexcitation and photolysis mostly at the triplet-singlet crossing point. In other words, the photoracemization and photolysis of the complexes have a competition relation, not a slave relation as assumed by the photoracemization model suggested in literature. They are dominated by the RDS. This conclusion is also consistent with the Δ(δ S)⇌Λ(δ S) chiral inversion of the [Ru(bipy)2(L-ser)]+ series complexes, which is reversible with no detectable photolysis, as its second step is a fast one. Note that, although the photoracemization of the prototype complexes is very slow, it passes through the three steps reversibly and ends with a photon emitting, which could be detected with the time-resolved circularly polarized luminescence and related techniques. These findings are helpful to understand and control the photochemical behavior of the complexes in practice.

Reversible cleavage of C(sp3)-H bonds can enable racemization or epimerization, offering a valuable tool to edit the stereochemistry of organic compounds. While epimerization reactions operating via cleavage of acidic C(sp3)-H bonds, such as the Cα-H of carbonyl compounds, have been widely used in organic synthesis and enzyme-catalyzed biosynthesis, epimerization of tertiary carbons bearing a nonacidic C(sp3)-H bond is much more challenging with few practical methods available. Herein, we report the first synthetically useful protocol for the epimerization of tertiary carbons via reversible radical cleavage of unactivated C(sp3)-H bonds with hypervalent iodine reagent benziodoxole azide and H2O under mild conditions. These reactions exhibit excellent reactivity and selectivity for unactivated 3° C-H bonds of various cycloalkanes and offer a powerful strategy for editing the stereochemical configurations of carbon scaffolds intractable to conventional methods. Mechanistic study suggests that the unique ability of N3• to serve as a catalytic H atom shuttle is critical to reversibly break and reform 3° C-H bonds with high efficiency and selectivity.

A new process methodology to obtain enantiopure (S)-Ibuprofen has been designed. Starting from racemic Ibuprofen, co-crystallization with Levetiracetam is used as a resolution tool to obtain only the target enantiomer, (S)-Ibuprofen, in the solid state. The resulting mother liquor, enriched in (R)-Ibuprofen, is recovered and submitted to a racemization cycle, after which another co-crystallization step is introduced. Levetiracetam can be recovered from the co-crystal phase and reused, resulting in an economical use of the resolution agent. Overall, a novel approach to transform a racemic compound into enantiopure material has been developed.

The iron-catalyzed highly Markovnikov-type selective and enantioselective hydrosilylation of terminal aliphatic alkenes with good functional group tolerance is developed. This operationally simple protocol uses earth-abundant transition metal catalyst, readily available aliphatic alkenes and hydrosilanes to construct valuable chiral organosilanes with better than 99% ee in most cases. The chiral aliphatic alkan-2-ol and chiral dihydroxysilane as an analogue of ketone could be efficiently synthesized via further derivatization of chiral organosilanes without any racemization.

O-Alkylations of serine and threonine derivatives at the hydroxy group were achieved using photoinduced decarboxylative radical reactions of serinyl and threoninyl acetic acids with an organic photocatalyst without racemization under mild conditions. Photoinduced decarboxylative radical additions of serinyl and threoninyl acetic acids to electron-deficient alkenes provided linked serine and threonine with carbohydrates and amino acids at the side chain. In addition, O-methylations containing deuterium and O-benzylation of serine were performed under similar photochemical conditions.

Benzylic trichloroacetimidates are readily displaced by trimethylaluminum under Lewis acid promoted conditions to provide the corresponding methyl substitution product. This method is a convenient way to access 1,1'-diarylethanes and related systems, which play a significant role in medicinal chemistry, with a number of systems owing their biological activity to this functionality. Most benzylic substrates undergo ready displacement, with electron deficient systems being the exception. The use of an enantiopure imidate showed significant racemization, implicating the formation of a cationic intermediate.

We disclose a (terpy)NiBr2-catalyzed reaction protocol that regioselectively difunctionalizes unactivated olefins with tethered alkyl halides and arylzinc reagents. The reaction shows an excellent functional group tolerance (such as ketones, esters, nitriles, and halides) and a moderate to good level of diastereoselectivity. The current cyclization/cross-coupling also tolerates molecules containing base-sensitive racemizable stereocenters, which are preserved without racemization during the reaction. This cyclization/cross-coupling provides a rapid access to (arylmethyl)carbo- and heterocyclic scaffolds, which occur widely as structural cores in various natural products and bioactive molecules. In order to show synthetic utility and generality, we have applied this new method in gram-scale quantities to the concise synthesis of six lignan natural products containing three different structural frameworks. We further conducted mechanistic investigations with radical probes and selectivity studies, which ind...

Recent reports have described deuterium exchange reactions on polyolefins; such isotopic labeling enables powerful analytical techniques, but exchange on isotactic polypropylene was previously unsuccessful. Here, we report successful exchange reactions on isotactic and syndiotactic polypropylenes, revealing the key role that the polymer stereochemistry and reaction solvent play in the mechanism of adsorption and exchange. Alteration of the polymer stereochemistry accompanies exchange in some cases, though molecular weight is preserved in all reactions.

A divergent synthetic strategy allowed access to several members of a new class of helicenes, the “expanded helicenes”, which are composed of alternating linearly and angularly fused rings. The strategy is based on a three-fold, partially intermolecular [2+2+n] (n = 1 or 2) cycloaddition with substrates containing three diyne units. Investigation of aggregation behavior, both in solution and in the solid state, revealed that one of these compounds forms an unusual homochiral, π-stacked dimer via an equilibrium that is slow on the NMR time scale. The versatility of the method was harnessed to access a selenophene-annulated expanded helicene that, in contrast to its benzannulated analogue, exhibits long-range π-stacking in the solid state. The new helicenes possess low racemization barriers, as demonstrated by dynamic 1H NMR spectroscopy.

A high level of the permanent asymmetry was built into the poly(N-methyl-N′-(2-isopropyl-6-methylphenyl)carbodiimide) system by introducing a bulky, substituted phenyl group which revealed a very interesting phenomenological behavior upon heating. This polymer undergoes P/M racemization upon thermal annealing, thus leading to the formation of a stereocomplexed structure. Predominantly P and M helices have been obtained through helix sense selective polymerization by using chiral BINOL-Ti(IV) diisopropoxide initiator with achiral N-methyl-N′-(2-isopropyl-6-methylphenyl)carbodiimide monomer. Upon thermal annealing, the specific optical rotation (SOR) of the single-handed polymer begins to decrease but never reaches zero. The SOR plateaus at a large value (−286° for M helices or +283° for P helices), and shortly thereafter the polymer forms a precipitate. The process that polymer undergoes is attributed to stereocomplexation between two complementary strands via racemization. Inspired by the phenomena analog...