Absolute Chirality Research Articles

Coherent multipolar amplification of chiroptical scattering and absorption from a magnetoelectric nanoparticle

Background-free detection of inherently weak chiroptical signals remains one of the great challenges in research communities and industries. We demonstrate coherent multipolar amplification of chiroptical responses via a magnetoelectric nanoparticle capped with an optically active monolayer encapsulated in a lossless background medium. Such an achiral nanoparticle can simultaneously support both electric and magnetic Mie-type resonances. We show how the combined excitation of orthogonal multipolar modes of the same order boosts the magnetoelectric coupling induced by the adsorbed chiral molecules, thus enabling coherently enhanced chiroptical responses from the ligand-capped magnetoelectric nanoparticle and allowing for absolute chirality measurements, in comparison with non-magnetoelectric nanoparticles. Furthermore, we develop rigorous expressions to separate relative contributions of chiral and nonchiral portions of circular differential absorption cross section, and analyzed the chirality-dependent far-field radiation patterns at different overlapped multipolar modes, providing a theoretical framework to understand the underlying enhancement mechanism of the magnetoelectric-assisted sensing of molecular chirality.

Manganese catalyzed direct regio- and stereoselective hydroxylation of 5α- and 5β-androstane derivatives

Herewith we report late-stage catalytic selective oxidative functionalization of several steroids with a common gonane core, namely androstane derivatives 5α-androsterone-3-acetate, 5β-androstan-17β-ol-3-one (etiocholan-17β-ol-3-one), 17β-acetoxy-5β-androstan-3-one, and 5β-pregnane-3,20-dione, at C–H groups in the presence of chiral bis-amino-bis-pyridylmethyl and structurally related Mn complexes, using H2O2 as terminal oxidant. Depending on the steric demand and absolute chirality of the catalyst, mono-hydroxylation at A, B, or C rings is achieved in up to 58% isolated yield. Strongly hydrogen-bond donating solvent hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) effectively protects the C17–OH group in etiocholan-17β-ol-3-one from ketonization, thus providing an opportunity to obtain 6,17- and 12,17-dihydroxy androstane derivatives without using protecting groups.

Distorted aryl homochirality controlled by β-sheet folding

Distortion of planar aromatics occurs in the fused rings conjugated with bulky substituents, which generates racemic enantiomers with high transformation energy barriers. However, direct synthesis of homochiral distorted aryl compounds is a very challenging task. Here, we presented a molecular folding strategy to control distorted aryl homochirality. Amino acids and their derivatives conjugated on the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons including benzenes, naphthalenes and triphenylenes, which formed parallel β-sheet arrays through intramolecular hydrogen bonds. The folding behavior enabled distorted or twisted geometry of aromatics, of which the handedness was associated with the absolute chirality of amino acids. X-ray crystallography, theoretical calculations and circular dichroism spectroscopy verified the distorted homochirality in the solid and solution phase. The relatively small rotational barrier between the enantiomers made the molecule sensitive to the environment and thus realized the solvent-controlled chiral inversion. The β-sheet folding strategy can be widely used in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with various functions, which provided a promising strategy to control inherent chirality of aromatics with adaptive chiroptical responses.

Carboxylic Acid Directed γ-Lactonization of Unactivated Primary C-H Bonds Catalyzed by Mn Complexes: Application to Stereoselective Natural Product Diversification.

Reactions that enable selective functionalization of strong aliphatic C-H bonds open new synthetic paths to rapidly increase molecular complexity and expand chemical space. Particularly valuable are reactions where site-selectivity can be directed toward a specific C-H bond by catalyst control. Herein we describe the catalytic site- and stereoselective γ-lactonization of unactivated primary C-H bonds in carboxylic acid substrates. The system relies on a chiral Mn catalyst that activates aqueous hydrogen peroxide to promote intramolecular lactonization under mild conditions, via carboxylate binding to the metal center. The system exhibits high site-selectivity and enables the oxidation of unactivated primary γ-C-H bonds even in the presence of intrinsically weaker and a priori more reactive secondary and tertiary ones at α- and β-carbons. With substrates bearing nonequivalent γ-C-H bonds, the factors governing site-selectivity have been uncovered. Most remarkably, by manipulating the absolute chirality of the catalyst, γ-lactonization at methyl groups in gem-dimethyl structural units of rigid cyclic and bicyclic carboxylic acids can be achieved with unprecedented levels of diastereoselectivity. Such control has been successfully exploited in the late-stage lactonization of natural products such as camphoric, camphanic, ketopinic, and isoketopinic acids. DFT analysis points toward a rebound type mechanism initiated by intramolecular 1,7-HAT from a primary γ-C-H bond of the bound substrate to a highly reactive MnIV-oxyl intermediate, to deliver a carbon radical that rapidly lactonizes through carboxylate transfer. Intramolecular kinetic deuterium isotope effect and 18O labeling experiments provide strong support to this mechanistic picture.

Direct regio- and stereoselective mono- and polyoxyfunctionalization of estrone derivatives at C(sp3)-H bonds

Late-stage catalytic selective oxidative C-H functionalization at B and C rings of estrone 3-acetate, 17α- and 17β-estradiol 3-acetates with H2O2 in the presence of bioinspired nonheme Mn complexes with N4-donor ligands has been developed. Depending on the ligand architecture and absolute chirality, products of α-hydroxylation or ketonization at C6, or α-hydroxylation at C9, or 9,11-desaturation/C12α-hydroxylation can be obtained in synthetically useful yields; the resulting monooxygenated derivatives can be involved in further selective oxidative transformations to yield polyoxygenated metabolites. The aromatic A ring remains intact under the conditions, and ketonization of the hydroxo groups at C17 is effectively prevented by using hexafluoroisopropanol as strong hydrogen bond donor reaction solvent.

Folded Propeller Chiral Structures Exclusively Adaptive to Chloroform.

Intramolecular folding is a strategy to construct aryl chiral compounds with applications in chiroptical materials and asymmetrical catalysts. However, beyond polarity the role of solvent in controlling the folded chirality is ambiguous. Here, we report a simple folding protocol to build chiral benzimidazole skeleton with propeller chirality, which could be adaptive to chloroform (CHCl3) with high selectivity. Benzimidazole conjugated with diamino acid arms underwent folding driven by hydrogen bonds, exhibiting propeller chirality of which handedness could be tuned by the absolute chirality of amino acids. Reversible unfolding/folding behavior was realized by heating/cooling process, giving rise to the thermomediated chiroptical switch. Among up to 32 common solvents, chloroform exclusively inverted the propeller chirality. The geometry and hydrogen bonding sites of chloroform allow rearrangement of diamino acid arms into an opposite packing propensity. The chloroform behaves as an invasive linker between diamino acid arms to replace the pristine hydrogen bonds. This work reports the fabrication of chiral aryl compounds by simple folding, which shows the adaptiveness to the chloroform. It demonstrates that not only polarity but also the active participation of solvent could change the chirality and optical activities of small folded molecules.

Determining the enantioselectivity of asymmetric hydrogenation through parahydrogen-induced hyperpolarization.

Asymmetric hydrogenation plays an essential role for both academic research and industry to produce enantiomeric pure chiral molecules. Although nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is powerful in determining the yields of hydrogenation, it is still challenging to use NMR for chirality-related analysis. Herein, we applied parahydrogen-induced hyperpolarization (PHIP) NMR to determine the enantioselectivity of asymmetric hydrogenation and the absolute chirality of products. We hyperpolarized two types of unsaturated amino acid precursors, i.e., methyl-α-acetoamido cinnamate and (E)-ethyl 3-acetamidobut-2-enoate. Hydrogenation of prochiral substrates with parahydrogen gave temporary hyperpolarized diastereoisomers, which exhibit different PHIP patterns distinguishable in 1H NMR. After assigning the NMR peaks by density functional theory calculations, we simulated the PHIP patterns of all the possible temporary hyperpolarized diastereoisomers and unambiguously assigned the chirality of the products and the enantioselectivity of asymmetric hydrogenation. Our work demonstrates the application and potential of PHIP in revealing the mechanism of asymmetric hydrogenation.

Chiral Recognition of In Situ-Oxidized Phosphine Oxides with Octahedral Indium Complexes by 31P NMR Spectroscopy.

Herein, efficient chiral recognition of phosphine oxides with octahedral indium complexes was demonstrated. Direct chiral analysis of in situ-prepared phosphine oxides formed using phosphines and hydrogen peroxide was conducted effectively via 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Sufficient peak resolution of chiral phosphines was obtained consistently, thereby enabling the reliable determination of absolute chirality. Rational 1:1 binding models based on experiments and density functional theory calculations have been proposed.

A Disulfide Switch Providing Absolute Handedness Control in Double Helices via Conversion from the Antiparallel to Parallel Helical Pattern.

A strategy to reversibly switch the parallel/antiparallel helical conformation of aromatic double helices through the formation/breakage of a disulfide bond is presented. Single-crystal X-ray structures, NMR, and circular dichroism spectroscopy demonstrate that the double helices with terminal thiol groups favor an antiparallel helical arrangement both in the solid state and in solution, while the P/M bias of helicity induced by chiral segments from another extremity of the sequence is weak in this structural motif. The antiparallel helices can be rearranged to parallel helices through the disulfide connection of the sequences. This change enhances the bias of helical handedness and results in absolute chirality control of the double helices. The handedness-mediated process can be governed by the oxidation-reduction cycle, thereby switching the structural arrangement and the enhancement of chiral bias. In addition, we find that the sequences can dimerize into an intermolecular double helix with the disulfide connection. And the helical handedness is also fully controlled due to the head-to-head structural motif.

Mn aminopyridine oxidase mimics: Switching between biosynthetic-like and xenobiotic regioselectivity in C[sbnd]H oxidation of (-)-ambroxide

The late-stage CH oxofunctionalization of (-)-ambroxide with H2O2 in the presence of bioinspired honheme Mn complexes is reported. Adjusting the ligand architecture and absolute chirality, as well as tuning the reaction solvent, allows switching the catalysts’ selectivity between biosynthetic-like and bioorthogonal modes, thus directing the reaction towards either (+)-sclareolide or 2α-hydroxyambroxide, respectively. This opens the ways to 2,12-dihydroxyambroxide, 2α-hydroxysclareolide, ambroxide-2-one, ambroxide-2,12-dione, and several other, including previously unavailable, oxidized metabolites of (-)-ambroxide in synthetically meaningful yields, using the same catalyst systems.

Symmetry breaking-induced double-strand helices in H-bonded coassembly.

Double-strand helical structures are important in information storage of biomacromolecules, while the artificial synthesis depends on chirality transfer from the molecular to supramolecular scale, and the synthesis through symmetry breaking has yet been accomplished. In this work, we present the multiple-constituent coassembly of a melamine derivative and an N-terminal aromatic amino acid into double helical nanoarchitectures via symmetry breaking. Multiple intramolecular H-bond formation between constituents played key roles in directing the formation of helical structures. Intertwining of single helices with identical helical parameters afforded double helical structures, benefiting from the uniformity and monodispersity of nanoarchitectures. With introduction of coded chiral amino acid derivatives as chiral sources, the handedness could be readily manipulated with exclusive correlation to the absolute chirality of amino acids. Molecular flexibility of the melamine derivative facilitates the propeller-shaped complex formation to afford helical columnar coassemblies and double helical structures. This work presents a rational control over the emergence and properties of double helical structures in multiple-constituent coassemblies through symmetry breaking, which provides an alternative method towards the synthesis of topological chiral composites and chiroptical materials.

Generation of glucosylated sn-1-glycerolphosphate teichoic acids: glycerol stereochemistry affects synthesis and antibody interaction.

Lipoteichoic acids (LTAs) have been addressed as possible antigen candidates for vaccine development against several opportunistic Gram-positive pathogens. The study of structure-immunogenicity relationship represents a challenge due to the heterogenicity of LTA extracted from native sources. LTAs are built up from glycerol phosphate (GroP) repeating units and they can be substituted at the C-2-OH with carbohydrate appendages or d-alanine residues. The substitution pattern, but also the absolute chirality of the GroP residues can impact the interaction with chiral biomolecules including antibodies and biosynthesis enzymes. We have generated a set of diastereomeric GroP hexamers bearing a glucosyl modification at one of the residues. The chirality of the glycerol building block had an important impact on the stereoselectivity of the glycosylation reaction between the glycosyl donor and the glycerol C-2-OH acceptor. The GroP C-2-chirality also played an important role in the interaction with TA recognizing antibodies. These findings have important implications for the design and synthesis of synthetic TA fragments for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

Mirror-image antiparallel β-sheets organize water molecules into superstructures of opposite chirality

Biomolecular hydration is fundamental to biological functions. Using phase-resolved chiral sum-frequency generation spectroscopy (SFG), we probe molecular architectures and interactions of water molecules around a self-assembling antiparallel β-sheet protein. We find that the phase of the chiroptical response from the O-H stretching vibrational modes of water flips with the absolute chirality of the (l-) or (d-) antiparallel β-sheet. Therefore, we can conclude that the (d-) antiparallel β-sheet organizes water solvent into a chiral supermolecular structure with opposite handedness relative to that of the (l-) antiparallel β-sheet. We use molecular dynamics to characterize the chiral water superstructure at atomic resolution. The results show that the macroscopic chirality of antiparallel β-sheets breaks the symmetry of assemblies of surrounding water molecules. We also calculate the chiral SFG response of water surrounding (l-) and (d-) LK7β to confirm the presence of chiral water structures. Our results offer a different perspective as well as introduce experimental and computational methodologies for elucidating hydration of biomacromolecules. The findings imply potentially important but largely unexplored roles of water solvent in chiral selectivity of biomolecular interactions and the molecular origins of homochirality in the biological world.

Revisiting the absolute chirality and polymorphism of (-)-Istanbulin A.

The terpenoid (-)-Istanbulin A is a natural product isolated from Senecio filaginoides DC, one of the 270 species of Senecio (Asteraceae) which occurs in Argentina. The structure and absolute configuration of this compound [9a-hydroxy-3,4a,5-trimethyl-4a,6,7,8a,9,9a-hexahydro-4H,5H-naphtho[2,3-b]-furan-2,8-dione or (4S,5R,8R,10S)-1-oxo-8β-hydroxy-10βH-eremophil-7(11)-en-12,8β-olide, C15H20O4] were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. It proved to be a sesquiterpene lactone showing an eremophilanolide skeleton whose chirality is described as 4S,5R,8R,10S. Structural results were also in agreement with the one- and two-dimensional (1D and 2D) NMR and HR-ESI-MS data, and other complementary spectroscopic information. In addition, (-)-Istanbulin A is a polymorph of the previously reported form of (-)-Istanbulin A, form I; thus, the title compound is denoted form II or polymorph II. Structural data and a literature search allowed the chirality of Istanbulin A to be revisited. The antimicrobial and antifungal activities of (-)-Istanbulin A, form II, were evaluated in order to establish a reference for future comparisons and applications related to specific crystal forms of Istanbulins.

Absolute crystal and magnetic chiralities in the langasite compound Ba3NbFe3Si2O14 determined by polarized neutron and x-ray scattering

We present a combined polarized neutron and x-ray scattering study on two enantiopure langasite single crystals aimed at the determination of their absolute structural and magnetic chiralities and the coupling between them. Our respective data sets unambiguously reveal two samples of opposite structural chirality, where the magnetic handedness is pinned by the structural one. Simple energy considerations of the magnetic exchange and single-ion anisotropy parameters reveal that it is not the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction but the local single-ion anisotropy on a triangular plaquette which plays a key role in stabilizing one of the two magnetic helices.

Interplay of Pyrrolidine Units with Homo/Hetero Chirality and CF3-Aryl Substituents on Secondary Structures of β-Proline Tripeptides in Solution.

All possible variants of β-proline functionalized tripeptides consisting of homo/hetero chiral monomeric all-cis 5-arylpyrrolidine-2,4-dicarboxylate units were synthesized for the first time by a nonpeptidic coupling method based on 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition chemistry of azomethine ylides. Secondary structures of β-proline tripeptides in solution were determined using the NMR spectroscopy data. o-(Trifluoromethyl)phenyl substituent contributes to stereoselectivity of 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition and structural features of β-proline tripeptides. A β-proline CF3-tripeptide with alternating absolute chirality between adjacent pyrrolidine units mimics natural PPII helix secondary structure.

Theoretical studies of conformational analysis and intramolecular dynamic phenomena

This review reports our computational studies of a variety of topics related to conformational analyses and intramolecular dynamic phenomena. Single and double bonds, open and ring systems, and chiral molecules devoid of chiral centers (atropisomers, propellers, scorpionates, helicenes, truxenes) will be reported. Studies that followed our contributions and that are related to them will also be cited. Some curious aspects such as the absence of influence of static fields on absolute chirality, the extension of CIP rules to supramolecular systems, libration of phenyl groups, and the barrier of 1,16-dehydro[6]helicene will be discussed.

Determination of Absolute Stereochemistry of Flexible Molecules Using a Vibrational Circular Dichroism Spectra Alignment Algorithm.

Experimental determination of the absolute stereochemistry of chiral molecules has been a fundamental challenge in natural sciences for decades. Vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectroscopy represents an attractive alternative to traditional methods like X-ray crystallography due to the use of molecules in solution. The interpretation of measured VCD spectra and thus the assignment of the absolute configuration relies on quantum-mechanical calculations. While such calculations are straightforward for rigid molecules with a single conformation, the need to estimate the correct conformational ensemble and energy landscape to obtain the appropriate theoretical spectra poses significant challenges for flexible molecules. In this work, we present the development of a VCD spectra alignment (VSA) algorithm to compare theoretical and experimental VCD spectra. The algorithm determines which enantiomer is more likely to reproduce the experimental spectrum and thus allows the correct assignment of the absolute stereochemistry. The VSA algorithm is successfully applied to determine the absolute chirality of highly flexible molecules, including commercial drug substances. Furthermore, we show that the computational cost can be reduced by performing the full frequency calculation only for a reduced set of conformers. The presented approach has the potential to allow the determination of the absolute configuration of chiral molecules in a robust and efficient manner.

Assignment of the Absolute‐Handedness Chirality of Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes by Using Organic Molecule Supramolecular Structures

AbstractInvited for the cover of this issue is the group of Prof. Takuji Ogawa (Osaka University) and Dr. Ahmed I. A. Abd El‐Mageed (Osaka University and Minia University). The image depicts the first experimental identification of the single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) absolute handedness chirality using scanning tunnelling microscopic images of supramolecular structures of porphyrin derivatives. Read the full text of the article at 10.1002/chem.201804832.

Enantioselective Benzylic Hydroxylation of Arylalkanes with H2O2 in Fluorinated Alcohols in the Presence of Chiral Mn Aminopyridine Complexes

AbstractA series of chiral bioinspired Mn‐aminopyridine complexes of the type [L*MnII(OTf)2] (where L* is 2,2′‐bipyrrolidine derived ligand, bearing trifluoroalkoxy and alkyl substituents) have been tested as catalysts in benzylic C−H hydroxylation of arylalkanes with H2O2 in fluorinated ethanols media. In 2,2,2‐trifuoroethanol, the yield of the target ethylbenzene oxidation product, chiral 1‐phenylethanol, reaches 45 %, which is much better than in the common solvent CH3CN (5‐6 %). The selectivity for 1‐phenylethanol formation increases in the following order: CH3CN<2‐fluoroethanol<2,2‐difluoroethanol<2,2,2‐trifuoroethanol, while 2,2‐difluoroethanol ensures the highest asymmetric induction in this series, affording chiral benzylic alcohols with up to 89 % ee. In trifluoroethanol, the observed primary kH/kD value of 2.3 has been measured for the oxidation of 1‐phenylethanol/α‐D‐1‐phenylethanol, which is similar to that in CH3CN (2.2). At the same time, depending on the solvent, CH3CN or 2,2,2‐trifuoroethanol, the oxidations of 1‐phenylethanol demonstrates drastically different linear free‐energy relationships; possible effect of the hydrogen‐bond donor (HBD) nature of CF3CH2OH is discussed in this context. Noticeably, it has been shown that by switching the absolute chirality ((S,S)− or (R,R)−) of the catalyst, the oxidation of complex substrate of natural origin, estrone acetate, can be diverted to predominant formation of either the tertiary C9‐alcohol or of the C6‐ketone, respectively.