Attrition-enhanced Deracemization Research Articles

A Complex Reaction Network Model for Spontaneous Mirror Symmetry Breaking in Viedma Deracemizations.

Attrition-enhanced chiral symmetry breaking in crystals, known as Viedma deracemization, is a promising method for converting racemic solid phases into enantiomerically pure ones under non equilibrium conditions. However, many aspects of this process remain unclear. In this study, we present a new investigation into Viedma deracemization using a comprehensive kinetic rate equation continuous model based on classical primary nucleation theory, crystal growth, and Ostwald ripening. Our approach employs a fully micro-reversible kinetic scheme with a size-dependent solubility following the Gibbs-Thomson rule. To validate our model, we use data from a real NaClO3deracemization experiment. After parametrization, the model shows spontaneous mirror symmetry breaking (SMSB) under grinding. Additionally, we identify a bifurcation scenario with a lower and upper limit of the grinding intensity that leads to deracemization, including a minimum deracemization time within this window. Furthermore, this model uncovers that SMSB is caused by multiple instances of concealed high-order autocatalysis. Our findings provide new insights into attrition-enhanced deracemization and its potential applications in chiral molecule synthesis and understanding biological homochirality.

Recent advances in the field of chiral crystallization.

Crystallization is one of the largest and most economical bulk purification techniques used in industry today. There has been an increase in demand for enantiomerically pure compound production for research, organic synthesis, pharmaceutical drug production, and other applications. Even after asymmetric synthesis, chiral purification will always be necessary. The focus of this review is on recent advances in chiral crystallization for the purification of enantiomers. A comprehensive discussion of three techniques and their mechanisms is provided, namely: attrition-enhanced deracemization, cocrystallization, and inorganic ionic cocrystallization. Several examples of attrition-enhanced deracemization are discussed. The key advantage of this technique is that it eliminates enantiomeric waste and can be used to produce enantiomeric excesses of greater than 99% from racemic mixtures. Chiral cocrystallization is examined, with over 60 cocrystallizing compounds, as an excellent means for enantiomeric enrichment. Selective chiral inclusion complexation was shown to be a novel approach for the formation of cocrystals. Chiral inorganic ionic cocrystallization is a new technique involving the formation of cocrystals between chiral ligands and certain metal salts in order to produce conglomerate crystal behavior in otherwise racemic compounds.

Design, Development, and Analysis of an Automated Sampling Loop for Online Monitoring of Chiral Crystallization.

Enantiomeric purity is of prime importance for several industries, specifically in the production of pharmaceuticals. Crystallization processes can be used to obtain pure enantiomers in a suitable solid form. However, some process variants inherently rely on kinetic enhancement (preferential crystallization) of the desired enantiomer or on complex interactions of several phenomena (e.g., attrition-enhanced deracemization and Viedma ripening). Thus, a process analytical technology able to measure the enantiomeric composition of both the solid phase and the liquid phase would be valuable to track and eventually control such processes. This study presents the design and development of a novel automated analytical monitoring system that achieves this. The designed setup tracks the enantiomeric excess (ee) using a continuous closed-loop sampling loop that is coupled to a polarimeter and an attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectrometer. By heating the loop and alternately sampling either the liquid or the suspension, the combination of these measurements allows tracking of the ee of both the liquid and the solid. This work demonstrates a proof of concept of both the experimental and theoretical aspects of the new system.

Asymmetric Synthesis of Indoline from Achiral Phthalimide Involving Crystallization-Induced Deracemization.

Asymmetric synthesis was performed by combining the photochemical reaction of an achiral substrate followed by crystallization-induced deracemization. The results indicated that a fused indoline produced by photochemical intramolecular δ-hydrogen abstraction and cyclization of N-(5-chloro-2-methylphenyl)phthalimide crystallized as a racemic conglomerate. Since this substrate has an aminal skeleton, racemization involving a ring-opening and ring-closing equilibrium process occurred under suitable conditions. Efficient racemization was observed in acetone containing a catalytic base, 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU). Crystallization-induced dynamic deracemization by Viedma ripening from racemic indoline was performed with an excellent enantioselectivity of 99 % ee. Furthermore, one-pot asymmetric synthesis of the indoline was achieved by the photochemical reaction of achiral phthalimide followed by continuous attrition-enhanced deracemization converging to 99 % ee of enantiomeric crystals. This is the first example of asymmetric expression and amplification by photochemical hydrogen abstraction and crystallization-induced dynamic deracemization.

Attrition-Enhanced Deracemization and Absolute Asymmetric Synthesis of Flavanones from Prochiral Precursors

Seven racemic 5,7-dimethoxyflavanones afforded conglomerate crystals upon recrystallization from a solvent. Three methodologies were investigated to achieve asymmetric transformation based on dynamic crystallization of the chiral conglomerate system. The first was chiral symmetry breaking of racemic flavanones by attrition-enhanced deracemization. Continuous suspension of racemic flavanones in a small amount of propanol in the presence of a base (1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]­undec-7-ene (DBU)) and glass beads promoted chiral symmetry breaking and converted the flavanones to crystals of (+)- or (−)-enantiomers with 78 to 99% ee. The second method involved cyclization of the intermediate aldol product to give optically active flavanone with 90% ee involving a reversible oxa-Michael addition reaction with attrition-enhanced deracemization. The third was a reaction starting from prochiral 2-hydroxy-4,6-dimethoxyacetophenone and 2-naphthaldehyde under basic conditions, which gave the corresponding flavanone in 89% ee.

Chiral Symmetry Breaking of Thiohydantoins by Attrition-Enhanced Deracemization

Chiral symmetry breaking of thiohydantoins by attrition-enhanced deracemization was performed. It was found that three thiohydantoins afforded conglomerate crystals, and their absolute structures w...

Isotopically Directed Symmetry Breaking and Enantioenrichment in Attrition-Enhanced Deracemization.

The evolution of homochirality via attrition-enhanced deracemization (AED) of enantiomorphic solids is carried out using molecules that differ only in the isotopic composition of a phenyl group positioned remote from the chiral center. Enantioenrichment consistently favors the enantiomorph containing a deuterated phenyl group over the protio or 13C version, and the protio version is consistently favored over the 13C version. While these isotopic compounds exhibit identical crystal structures and solubilities, the trend in deracemization correlates with melting points. Understanding the origin of this isotope bias provides fundamental clues about overcoming stochastic behavior to direct the stereochemical outcome in attrition-enhanced deracemization processes. The energy required for breaking symmetry with chiral bias is compared for this near-equilibrium AED process and the far-from-equilibrium Soai autocatalytic reaction. Implications for the origin of biological homochirality are discussed.

Chiral Symmetry Breaking of Spiropyrans and Spirooxazines by Dynamic Enantioselective Crystallization.

Dynamic enantioselective crystallization enabled the chiral symmetry breaking of two spiropyrans and one spirooxazine. The three spiro compounds afforded racemic conglomerate crystals, and easily racemized in alcoholic solution without irradiation. Optically pure enantiomorphic crystals were obtained by vapor-diffusion crystallization or attrition-enhanced deracemization (Viedma ripening). Their absolute configurations were determined by single-crystal X-ray analysis and each enantiomorphic crystal was correlated with its solid-state circular dichroism (CD) spectrum.

Asymmetric Diels–Alder Reaction Involving Dynamic Enantioselective Crystallization

Asymmetric Diels-Alder reaction was achieved under achiral conditions. Reaction of prochiral 2-methylfuran and N-phenylmaleimide in heptane or hexane solution at 80 °C efficiently gave a conglomerate crystal of exo-type Diels-Alder adduct selectively, and continuous suspension of the reaction mixture with glass beads promoted attrition-enhanced deracemization, leading to an optically active exo-adduct in 90% ee.

Particle Breakage Kinetics and Mechanisms in Attrition-Enhanced Deracemization

In this study, we report on experiments designed to deconvolute the particle breakage kinetics and mechanism from the parallel phenomena (growth-dissolution, agglomeration) in attrition-enhanced deracemization processes. Through such experiments, we derived the specific breakage rates and cumulative breakage distribution functions for three grinding methods typically used in deracemization experiments: (a) bead grinding, (b) ultrasound grinding, and (c) the combination of bead and ultrasound grinding. Subsequently, we tested these methods on their ability to induce deracemization. We show that in the conventional bead grinding process, breakage occurs mostly by fracture. This results in slow deracemization rates due to the delayed formation of submicron particles that are essential to the process. Conversely, ultrasound grinding very efficiently breaks particles by abrasion. This leads to fast generation of an abundance of submicron fragments resulting in fast deracemization. However, using ultrasound, la...

Design and Performance Assessment of Continuous Crystallization Processes Resolving Racemic Conglomerates

Continuous crystallization processes achieving the complete resolution of racemic feed mixtures of conglomerate forming substances are presented. The processes considered rely on the principles of preferential crystallization or attrition-enhanced deracemization (Viedma ripening). A single mechanistic population balance model is shown to describe both operating modes. For the case of isothermal Viedma ripening, a shortcut method is introduced that allows the rapid and computationally efficient design of processes using a single or multiple ripening stages. The achievable productivity and enantiomeric purity are determined for all process variants in a wide range of operating conditions, and Pareto optimal operating points are identified. Since our results are obtained with a consistent set of kinetics for all operating modes, an unbiased comparison is enabled. It is shown that the productivity of the ripening process can be improved by using cascades of multiple crystallizers, but that the preferential cr...

有機結晶のキラリティーを利用した不斉合成法の開発

Asymmetric synthesis from achiral starting materials using only crystal chirality under absolutely achiral conditions-that is, absolute asymmetric synthesis-has been investigated by many methods, including solid-state photochemical reactions, asymmetric reactions using frozen chirality, and dynamic crystallization (total spontaneous resolution). Dynamic crystallization using racemic conglomerate crystals involved that an enantiomerically enriched solid state could be achieved through crystallization from a solution in which chiral molecules could rapidly racemize. Many such examples resulted in total optical resolution by deracemization, selectively leading to single-handed molecules. Furthermore, a combined methodology for generating a chiral center from achiral materials, involving dynamic crystallization or attrition-enhanced deracemization, was recently developed. These examples demonstrate the high potential of this new category of absolute asymmetric synthesis.

Asymmetric Synthesis of an Amino Acid Derivative from Achiral Aroyl Acrylamide by Reversible Michael Addition and Preferential Crystallization.

Single-handed α-amino acid derivatives were generated from achiral precursors without an external chiral source. Conjugate addition of phenethylamine to an achiral aroyl acrylamide under homogeneous conditions gave the α-amino amides in quantitative yields, which crystallized as a conglomerate of a P21 crystal system. Dynamic preferential crystallization or attrition-enhanced deracemization resulted in the formation of enantiomorphic crystals of 99 % ee.

Directing the Viedma ripening of ethylenediammonium sulfate using "Tailor-made" chiral additives.

Both enantiomers of trans-cyclohexane-1,2-diammonium sulfate and trans-1,2-diphenylethylenediammonium sulfate were used as "tailor-made" additives to direct the mirror-symmetry breaking in the attrition-enhanced deracemization (i.e. Viedma ripening) of conglomerate crystals of ethylenediammonium sulfate (EDS). Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) shows chiral recognition of (1R,2R)- and (1S,2S)-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine to EDS crystals where the enthalpy of adsorption of the (1R,2R)-isomer on l-EDS crystals is higher in comparison to that on d-EDS crystals. These results are consistent with a "rule of reversal" mechanism driving the chiral outcome of the Viedma ripening of EDS.

Homochiral crystal generation via sequential dehydration and Viedma ripening

1,2-Bis(N-benzoyl-N-methylamino)benzene (2) forms centrosymmetric hydrate crystals (2·xH2O) and non-centrosymmetric anhydrous crystals. Dehydration of this hydrate (30 min at 140 °C) resulted in the formation of chiral crystals (i.e. a physical racemate of the conglomerate crystals) as verified using solid-state circular dichroism and powder X-ray diffraction. Subsequent attrition-enhanced deracemization, also known as Viedma ripening, was used to obtain homochiral crystals of 2 within 5 h.

Attrition-Enhanced Deracemization of NaClO3: Comparison between Ultrasonic and Abrasive Grinding

Ultrasound-enhanced grinding is a more practical alternative to glass bead-enhanced grinding for performing attrition-enhanced deracemization at large scale or in continuous flow. In this work, both ultrasound-enhanced grinding (41.2 kHz) and glass bead-enhanced grinding were applied to induce Viedma deracemization of sodium chlorate (NaClO3) crystals in isothermal conditions. The results demonstrate that high intensity, low frequency ultrasound can achieve efficient grinding of enantiomorphous NaClO3 crystals, producing small crystal size and narrow size distribution, both being highly desirable final product properties. Monitoring the width of the crystal size distribution reveals its crucial role and offers further insight into the underlying phenomena in the deracemization process. Compared to glass bead-enhanced grinding, ultrasound-enhanced grinding resulted in faster crystal size reduction and rapid initial deracemization. However, a further increase in the enantiomeric excess was hindered after pr...

Absolute Asymmetric Synthesis: Viedma Ripening of [Co(bpy)3](2+) and Solvent-Free Oxidation to [Co(bpy)3](3.).

Syntheses of [Co(bpy)3](2+) yield racemic solutions because the Δ- and Λ-enantiomers are stereochemically labile. However, crystallization and attrition-enhanced deracemization can give homochiral crystal batches of either handedness in quantitative yield. Subsequently, solvent-free oxidation with bromine vapour fixes the chirality because [Co(bipy)3](3+) does not enantiomerize in solution at ambient temperature. This combination of Viedma ripening and the labile/inert Co(II)/Co(III) couple constitutes a convenient method of absolute asymmetric synthesis.

ChemInform Abstract: Chemical and Physical Models for the Emergence of Biological Homochirality

AbstractReview: 54 refs.

On the Effect of Initial Conditions in Viedma Ripening

The chiral separation process known as Viedma ripening, or attrition-enhanced deracemization, is a crystallization-based process that can convert a racemic solid phase to an enantiomerically pure one. This process relies on several interacting mechanisms and is influenced by thermodynamic and kinetic factors as well as by the initial conditions of the experiment, sometimes making the interpretation of experimental results difficult. In this work, we use the mathematical model of the process that we have developed previously to explain the large variations in terms of outcome and process time observed in many experiments and to discuss them in detail in terms of the effect of the initial conditions. We show that the direction of evolution can be predicted by the model and depends on the asymmetries present in the initial particle populations. The process time is shown to be very sensitive to the initial conditions when the system is not clearly biased toward one enantiomer. This analysis shows that the lack of reproducibility of some Viedma ripening experiments can at least partially be explained by the high sensitivity of the process to the initial conditions and can be prevented by a careful choice of the initial conditions. Finally, our results are discussed in light of the practical application of Viedma ripening.

Complete solid state deracemization by High Pressure Homogenization

In this work, we present High Pressure Homogenization as a novel approach to carry out attrition-enhanced deracemization, or Viedma Ripening. This is a process which leads to the conversion of a racemic or scalemic solid phase to an enantiomerically pure solid phase. The effect of pressure drop and homogenizer temperature on the evolution of deracemization of the compound N-(2-methylbenzylidene)-phenylglycine amide (NMPA) has been studied. Results prove the feasibility of the technique to achieve complete solid state deracemization, even without a substantial initial enantiomeric excess, and highlight low processing times. The effect of the homogenizer temperature has been demonstrated as a key parameter in HPH processing. These results establish the basis of High Pressure Homogenization as a new effective technique for Viedma ripening and open new possibilities for further development of solid state deracemization.