Synthesis and liquid crystallinity of dendronized carbohydrate liquid crystal

A dendronized carbohydrate thermotropic liquid crystal was synthesized by attaching wedge-shaped mesogens onto a carbohydrate core. These molecules self-organize into chiral columnar hexagonal mesophase with each column slice (4.5 Å thicknesses) filled with average of two molecules. The supramolecular model was further optimized by molecular dynamics simulation. Moreover, chirality successfully expressed in columnar hexagonal mesophase by dendronized carbohydrate molecules may provide inspiration in searching for chiral mesophase of carbohydrate liquid crystals.     

Thermotropic and lyotropic properties of long chain alkyl glycopyranosides. Part I: monosaccharide headgroups

A systematic structure variation of a classical amphiphile (dodecyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside) is performed, demonstrating the influence of anomeric linkage, configuration, ring size and flexibility as well as electric charges on the mesophase behaviour. In addition, we have investigated the thermotropic and lyotropic properties of some long chain alkyl glycosides with monosaccharide headgroups. The thermotropism was measured with polarizing microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry, and additionally the lyotropism with FTIR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction.     

Structural Origins of Chiral Second-Order Optical Nonlinearity in Collagen: Amide I Band

The molecular basis of nonlinear optical (NLO) chiral effects in the amide I region of type I collagen was investigated using sum-frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy; chiral and achiral tensor elements were separated using different input/output beam polarization conditions. Spectra were obtained from native rat tail tendon (RTT) collagen and from cholesteric liquid crystal-like (LC) type I collagen films. Although RTT and LC collagen both possess long-range order, LC collagen lacks the complex hierarchical organization of RTT collagen. Their spectra were compared to assess the role of such organization in NLO chirality. No significant differences were observed between RTT and LC with respect to chiral or achiral spectra. These findings suggest that amide I NLO chiral effects in type I collagen assemblies arise predominantly from the chiral organization of amide chromophores within individual collagen molecules, rather than from supramolecular structures. The study suggests that sum-frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy may be uniquely valuable in exploring fundamental aspects of chiral nonlinearity in complex macromolecular structures.     

Asymmetric autocatalysis and its application to chiral discrimination

Chiral pyrimidyl, quinolyl, and pyridyl alkanols act as asymmetric autocatalysts with significant amplification of enantiomeric excess (ee) in the enantioselective addition of diisopropylzinc to pyrimidine-5-, quinoline-3-, and pyridine-3-carbaldehydes, respectively. 2-Alkynyl-5-pyrimidyl alkanol with as low as 0.6% ee automultiplies during the consecutive asymmetric autocatalysis with increasing ee to as high as >99.5%. Asymmetric autocatalysis is applied to chiral discrimination of organic compounds. In the presence of methyl mandelate or 2-butanol with very low ee's (0.05-0.1%) as chiral initiators, the reaction between pyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde and diisopropylzinc affords pyrimidyl alkanol with higher ee's with the correlated absolute configurations to those of the chiral initiators. Chirality of amino acids (such as leucine) and helicenes with very low ee's are also discriminated by asymmetric autocatalysis, affording pyrimidyl alkanol with very high ee's. Asymmetric autocatalysis also discriminates the chirality of primary alcohols-alpha-d, monosubstituted [2.2]paracyclophanes and octahedral cobalt complex with achiral ligands of which the chirality is due to the topology of coordination of the achiral ligand. Even the chirality of inorganic crystals such as quartz and sodium chlorate is discriminated by asymmetric autocatalysis of pyrimidyl alkanol. Thus, asymmetric autocatalysis provides a unique method for the discrimination of chiral compounds and crystals.     

Enantiopure encaged Verkade's superbases: Synthesis,chiroptical properties,and use as chiral derivatizing agent

Verkade's superbases, entrapped in the cavity of enantiopure hemicryptophane cages, have been synthesized with enantiomeric excess (ee) superior to 98%. Their absolute configuration has been determined by using electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectroscopy. These enantiopure encaged superbases turned out to be efficient chiral derivatizing agents for chiral azides, underlining that the chirality of the cycloveratrylene (CTV) macrocycle induces different magnetic and chemical environments around the phosphazide functions.     

Enantiodifferentiating Z-E photoisomerization of cyclooctene sensitized by DNA and RNA.

DNA and RNA have been shown for the first time to function as chiral photosensitizers in aqueous solution, to effect the enantiodifferentiating photoisomerization of (Z)-cyclooctene (1Z), giving the chiral (E)-isomer in enantiomeric excesses (ee's) of up to 15%. In order to elucidate the effect of nucleotide sequence, enantiodifferentiating photoisomerization of 1Z was also performed using oligo and homopolynucleotides as chiral sensitizer. The -18.8% ee was observed by using d(T)15.d(A)15 as sensitizer, whereas sensitization by the poly(U).poly(A) duplex gave only racemic (E)-cyclooctene. From these results, oligothymidine sequence is essential for efficient enantioselective photoisomerization of 1Z.     

Microenvironmental control of enantiodifferentiating photocyclization of 5-hydroxy-1,1-diphenylpentene through selective solvation

For mechanistic elucidation of the photosensitized cyclization of 5-hydroxy-1,1-diphenylpentene (1), its methyl ether (4) was synthesized as an unreactive "dummy" substrate and used as a quencher of the sensitizer fluorescence to reveal the intervention of an exciplex intermediate that was unable to detect when reactive substrate 1 was used as a quencher/reactant In the enantiodifferentiating photocyclization of 1 to 2-(diphenylmethyl)tetrahydrofuran (2) sensitized by a chiral saccharide ester of 1,4-naphthalenedicarboxylate (3), the enantiomeric excess (ee) of chiral product 2 obtained in methylcyclohexane (MCH) at 25 °C was significantly enhanced from 20% to 35% upon 10-fold dilution of the sample solution by MCH, for which the reduced solvent polarity, discouraging dissociation of the intervening radical ionic exciplex, is likely to be responsible. Further attempts to microenvironmentally control the photochirogenic reaction and enhance the product's ee through selective solvation of polar cosolvent to the diastereomeric exciplex pair in nonpolar solvent were not successful probably due to the inherently high local polarity around the exciplex of saccharide-appended 3 with alcoholic substrate 1.     

The use of circular dichroism spectroscopy for studying the chiral molecular self-assembly: an overview

Self-assembly plays an important role in the formation of many chiral biological structures and in the preparation of chiral functional materials. Therefore the control of chirality in synthetic or biological self-assembled systems is important either for the comprehension of recognition phenomena or to obtain materials with predictable and controllable properties. Circular dichroism was developed to study molecular chirality, however, because of its outstanding sensitivity to chiral perturbations of the system under investigation; it has been extended more recently to supramolecular chemistry. In particular, self-assembly processes leading to the formation of chiral supramolecular architectures (and eventually to gels or liquid crystal phases) can be monitored by CD. Furthermore, CD spectroscopy often allows one to obtain structural information on the assembled structures. This review deals with representative contributions to the study of supramolecular chirality by means of circular dichroism.     

C3-symmetrical self-assembled structures investigated by vibrational circular dichroism

We demonstrate by using vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectroscopy that it is possible to investigate the chirality of a supramolecular polymeric system in relatively dilute solutions. Chiral C(3)-symmetrical discotic molecules, based on a trialkylbenzene-1,3,5-carboxamide, form supramolecular columnar stacks with a right-handed helical structure in solution due to intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The handedness of the supramolecular chirality is determined using electronic spectroscopy measurements. Under dilute conditions (at 10(-3) M concentrations), it was also possible to probe the hydrogen bonding moieties with IR and VCD spectroscopy on these self-assembled structures. In combination with density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we could verify the preference for a right-handed chirality in the helical stacks and the nonplanar orientation of the carbonyl groups present in the molecule. This chiral arrangement is in agreement with the structure determined for a related benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxamide by X-ray diffraction. Chirality, 2008. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Circular Dichroism Sensing of Chiral Compounds Using an Achiral Metal Complex as Probe

Coordination of a chiral substrate to (meso‐salen)cobalt(II) nitrate and subsequent oxidation generates a Co(III) complex exhibiting a strong chiroptical readout that is attributed to spontaneous substrate‐to‐ligand chirality imprinting. The characteristic circular dichroism (CD) response of the (salen)cobalt complex can be used for enantiomeric analysis of a variety of chiral substrates based on a simple CD measurement at low concentration and without additional purification steps. This chirality sensing approach has potential for high‐throughput enantiomeric excess (ee) screening applications and minimizes solvent waste production. Chirality 26:379–384, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Conformational study on poly [gamma-(alpha-phenethyl)-L-glutamate] using vibrational circular dichroism spectroscopy

Vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) and IR absorption spectra are obtained in a chloroform solution for poly[gamma-((R)-alpha-phenethyl)-L-glutamate] (PRPLG) and poly[gamma-((S)-alpha-phenethyl)-L-glutamate] (PSPLG), whose only structural difference is an opposite chiral center in the side chain. Their characteristic amide A, I, and II bands show VCD patterns quite similar to those of poly[gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate] (PBLG), indicating that the secondary structure of these polypeptides is a right-handed alpha-helix. The VCD spectra in the CH stretching region exhibit different patterns for PRPLG and PSPLG, reflecting the chirality difference in the side chains. This difference is interpreted on the basis of the additivity of optical activity contributions from the main chain conformation and the chirality difference in the side chains. The results indicate that a VCD difference spectrum of the CH stretching region is a useful diagnostic tool for elucidating local chirality differences.     

Mass balancing in kinetic resolution: calculating yield and enantiomeric excess using chiral balance

When kinetic resolution is applied for the production of enantiomerically pure compounds, process options may be used which involve more than one chiral substrate and one chiral product, such as sequential or parallel enzymatic kinetic resolutions or hydrolysis of diastereomers. Although the relation between the yields (y) of the chiral compounds is straightforward in these cases, the relation between their enantiomeric excess (ee) values is not. Combining mass balances into a so-called chiral balance (Sigma y . ee(R) = 0) provides the relation between enantiomeric excess values in a useful manner. This chiral balance easily shows which nonmeasured enantiomeric excess values and yields can be calculated from measured values. The chiral balance is only valid when configurations at chiral centers are conserved. (c) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Supramolecular chirality induction in bis(zinc porphyrin) by amino acid derivatives: rationalization and applications of the ligand bulkiness effect

The achiral syn conformer (face-to-face) of the ethane-bridged bis(zinc porphyrin) (syn-ZnD) transforms into the corresponding chiral extended anti bis-ligated species (anti-ZnD.L2) in the presence of enantiopure ligands (L: amino acid derivatives). The mechanism of the supramolecular chirality induction is based on chiral ligand binding to zinc porphyrins and subsequent formation of either right- or left-handed screw structures in anti-ZnD.L2. The screw structure formation arises from steric interactions between the bulkiest substituent at the asymmetric carbon of the ligand and the peripheral ethyl groups of the neighboring porphyrin ring directed towards the covalent bridge. The sign and amplitude of the induced circular dichroism (CD) are dependent on the steric bulk of the substituents at the chiral center. The greater difference in size between the chiral center's substituents gives the stronger induced CD signal. Rationalization of the ligand bulkiness effect on chirality induction by amino acid derivatives, application of this supramolecular system for the determination of ligand absolute configuration, and relative bulkiness of the substituents at the asymmetric carbon are discussed.     

146 Amyloid fibril polymorphism probed by advanced vibrational spectroscopy

Amyloid fibrils are associated with many neurodegenerative diseases. All known amyloids including pathogenic and nonpathogenic forms display functional and structural heterogeneity (polymorphism) which determines the level of their toxicity. Despite a significant biological and biomedical importance, the nature of the amyloid fibril polymorphism remains elusive. We utilized for the first time three most advanced vibrational techniques to probe the core, the surface, and supramolecular chirality of fibril polymorphs. A new type of folding, aggregation phenomenon, spontaneous refolding from one polymorph to another, was discovered (Kurouski, Lauro et al., 2010). Hydrogen–deuterium exchange deep UV resonance Raman spectroscopy (Oladepo, Xiong et al., 2012) combined with advanced statistical analysis (Shashilov & Lednev, 2010) allowed for structural characterization of the highly ordered cross-β core of amyloid fibrils. We reported several examples showing significant variations in the core structure for fibril polymorphs. Amyloid fibrils are generally composed of several protofibrils and may adopt variable morphologies, such as twisted ribbons or flat-like sheets. We discovered the existence of another level of amyloid polymorphism, namely, that associated with fibril supramolecular chirality. Two chiral polymorphs of insulin, which can be controllably grown by means of small pH variations, exhibit opposite signs of vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectra (Kurouski, Dukor et al. 2012). VCD supramolecular chirality is correlated not only by the apparent fibril handedness but also by the sense of supramolecular chirality from a deeper level of chiral organization at the protofilament level of fibril structure. A small pH change initiates spontaneous transformation of insulin fibrils from one polymorph to another. As a result, fibril supramolecular chirality overturns both accompanying morphological and structural changes (Kurouski, Dukor et al. 2012). No conventional methods could probe the fibril surface despite its significant role in the biological activity. We utilized tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) to characterize the surface structure of an individual fibril due to a high depth and lateral spatial resolution of the method in the nanometer range (Kurouski, Deckert-Gaudig et al. 2012). It was found that the surface is strongly heterogeneous and consists of clusters with various protein conformations and amino acid composition.     

Normal and reversed supramolecular chirality of insulin fibrils probed by vibrational circular dichroism at the protofilament level of fibril structure

Fibrils are β-sheet-rich aggregates that are generally composed of several protofibrils and may adopt variable morphologies, such as twisted ribbons or flat-like sheets. This polymorphism is observed for many different amyloid associated proteins and polypeptides. In a previous study we proposed the existence of another level of amyloid polymorphism, namely, that associated with fibril supramolecular chirality. Two chiral polymorphs of insulin, which can be controllably grown by means of small pH variations, exhibit opposite signs of vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectra. Herein, using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), we demonstrate that indeed VCD supramolecular chirality is correlated not only by the apparent fibril handedness but also by the sense of supramolecular chirality from a deeper level of chiral organization at the protofilament level of fibril structure. Our microscopic examination indicates that normal VCD fibrils have a left-handed twist, whereas reversed VCD fibrils are flat-like aggregates with no obvious helical twist as imaged by atomic force microscopy or scanning electron microscopy. A scheme is proposed consistent with observed data that features a dynamic equilibrium controlled by pH at the protofilament level between left- and right-twist fibril structures with distinctly different aggregation pathways for left- and right-twisted protofilaments.     

First isolation of disubstituted cis-5,6-dihydro-1,10-phenanthrolines. Lipase-mediated resolution of cis- and trans-phenoxy alcohol isomers and assignment of absolute stereochemistry via CD and NMR spectroscopy

5,6-Dihydro-1,10-phenanthrolines can display axial and central chirality. In conjunction with the ligating properties of the diimino moiety, this class of compounds is of great interest to applications in supramolecular chemistry. We report the first preparation of cis-5,6-dihydro-1,10-phenanthroline derivatives by reacting triphenyl borate with the corresponding epoxide precursor. We found that solvent and temperature choice determined the stereoselectivity of the epoxide opening giving rise to the cis (14:1 dr) or trans (99:1 dr) product. Racemates of each stereoisomeric mixture, cis- and trans-phenoxy alcohol, were separated via highly enantioselective transesterifications with lipase PSCI from Burkholderia cepacia (97% ee, E > 200). Stereochemical assignments were carried out using CD and X-ray analyses in conjunction with NMR studies of α-methoxy-α-(trifluoromethyl)phenylacetic acid and α-methoxyphenylacetic acid esters.     

Epoxidation in lyotropic mesophases

Summary The influence of the surfactant structure and water content on the epoxidation of propene to R- propene oxide withMycobacterium strain E3 immobilized in lyotropic mesophase/hexane two phase systems has been studied.     

Synthesis of racemic and optically active glycidic ethers,precursors of liquid crystalline polyethers

A series of racemic and optically active oxiranes, bearing mesogenic groups, precursors of liquid crystalline polyethers, has been synthesized from epichlorohydrin or glycidol. The enantiomeric excess of the optically active oxiranes has been determined by chiral stationary phase HPLC. Compounds bearing 4-cyanobiphenyl mesogenic group exhibit monotropic liquid crystalline behavior. A transfer of chirality to the mesophase has been observed for the optically active oxiranes, which present a cholesteric phase. Chirality 10:779–785, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Analysis of the mechanism of asymmetric amplification by chiral auxiliary trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane bistriflamide

Asymmetric amplification is a phenomenon in which the enantiomeric excess (ee) of a product is higher than that of a chiral auxiliary for a catalyst. We analyzed the mechanism of asymmetric amplification observed in the addition of diethylzinc (Et(2)Zn) to benzaldehyde (PhCHO) to synthesize 1-phenyl-1-propanol in the presence of trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane bistriflamide (DCBF) and titanium tetraisopropoxide (TIOP). In a manner similar to the reaction in which 1-piperidino-3,3-dimethyl-2-butanol is a chiral auxiliary for the catalyst, when asymmetric amplification was observed, the ee of the product varied as the reaction progressed. The mechanisms of variation in ee in the two reactions, however, were different. No asymmetric amplification was observed when TIOP and PhCHO were added to a mixture of DCBF and Et(2)Zn, while the ee of the product was always higher than that of DCBF when PhCHO and Et(2)Zn were added to a mixture of DCBF and TIOP. In the latter case, the product ee decreased as the reaction progressed. The results indicate that DCBF forms inactive heterochiral complex causing an increase in the ee of DCBF in the solution, which is the chiral auxiliary for the catalyst. But the complex is not very stable and gradually dissociates due to the reaction with Et(2)Zn. As a result, the asymmetric amplification decreases as the reaction progresses.     

Supramolecular tilt chirality in crystals of steroids and alkaloids

The concept of supramolecular chirality has assumed increasing importance in association with the development of supramolecular chemistry over the last two decades. In chiral crystals, 2 1 helical molecular assemblies are frequently observed as key motifs. Helical handedness of the 2 1 assemblies, however, has not been determined from the mathematical or crystallographical viewpoints. In this context, we have proposed two new concepts, three-axial chirality and tilt chirality. On the basis of the concepts, we describe supramolecular chirality and determine the handedness of 2 1 assemblies that are composed of relatively complicated molecules with multiple stereogenic centers such as brucine, bile acids, and cinchona alkaloids as well as those of simple molecules.