Crystallization-induced diastereomer transformations

Hydrogen Bond Assisted l to d Conversion of α-Amino Acids

l to d conversion of unactivated α-amino acids was achieved by solubility-induced diastereomer transformation (SIDT). Ternary complexes of an α-amino acid with 3,5-dichlorosalicylaldehyde and a chiral guanidine (derived from corresponding chiral vicinal diamine) were obtained in good yield as diastereomerically pure imino acid salt complexes and were hydrolysed to obtain enantiopure α-amino acids. A combination of DFT computation, NMR spectroscopy, and crystal structure provide detailed insight into how two types of strong hydrogen bonds assist in rapid epimerization of the complexes that is essential for SIDT.

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.

Crystallization-Induced Diastereoisomer Transformation of Dihydroartemisinic Aldehyde with the Betti Base

Artemisinin is an important drug to fight malaria. It is produced either by extraction or via a semisynthetic route involving enzyme engineering. A key intermediate to produce artemisinin by the enzymatic route is dihydroartemisinic aldehyde (DHAAl). However, control of the absolute configuration of the stereocenter α to the aldehyde is highly challenging. Herein we report a protocol that allows the diastereomeric enrichment of a mixture of (11R)/(11S)-DHAAl to the desired (11R)-DHAAl by utilizing a crystallization-induced diastereomer transformation induced by the Betti base. In addition, the Betti base can be quantitatively recovered and reused after the reaction.

Crystallization Does It All: An Alternative Strategy for Stereoselective Aza-Henry Reaction

An efficient and experimentally straightforward method for the stereoselective synthesis of a variety of β-nitro-α-amino carboxylic acids via aza-Henry (nitro-Mannich) reaction of aldimines is disclosed, yielding either anti- or a rarely reported syn-configuration. The reaction operates directly on free glyoxylic acid and generates imine species in situ. Crystallization-controlled diastereoselectivity enables isolation of the target compounds in high enantio- and diastereomeric purities by a simple filtration.

A chiral switch: balancing between equilibrium and non-equilibrium states

Herein we introduce a "chiral switch" - a sequence of operations that alternate between equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions to switch the absolute configuration of a chiral center. The generality and practical potential of the technique are demonstrated with three unnatural α-amino acid precursors.

Shape-selective crystallisation of fluxional carbon cages

Dynamic covalent rearrangements of fluxional carbon cages, such as bullvalenes and barbaralanes, impart 'shapeshifting' molecular properties. Here, a series of five barbaralanes each interconvert dynamically between two constitutional isomers in solution, but resolve to single isomers upon crystallisation. Unexpectedly, the minor solution-phase isomers are resolved in two instances. Through dynamic NMR, crystallographic and DFT analyses, we show that the isomer observed in the solid state is not a direct consequence of the equilibrium distribution in solution or any specific noncovalent interactions. Rather, the dynamic preferential crystallisation is dictated by differences in molecular size and shape.

Solid-Phase Conversion of Four Stereoisomers into a Single Enantiomer

Viedma ripening is an emerging method for the solid-phase deracemization of mixtures of enantiomers. Up to now, the scope of the method has remained limited to molecules with a single stereocenter. We show here that this method can be extended to obtain a single enantiomer from a mixture of stereoisomers with two different stereocenters. In addition, we show that by using tailor-made chiral additives, the conversion time can be reduced by a factor of 100.

The Strecker reaction coupled to Viedma ripening: a simple route to highly hindered enantiomerically pure amino acids

The Strecker reaction is broadly used for the preparation of α-amino acids. However, control of enantioselectivity remains challenging. We here couple the Strecker reaction to Viedma ripening for the absolute asymmetric synthesis of highly sterically hindered α-amino acids. As proof-of-principle, the enantiomerically pure α-amino acids tert-leucine and α-(1-adamantyl)glycine were obtained.

Preparation of chiral 3-oxocycloalkanecarbonitrile and its derivatives by crystallization-induced diastereomer transformation of ketals with chiral 1,2-diphenylethane-1,2-diol

Chiral 3-oxocycloalkanecarbonitriles were prepared by fractional crystallization and crystallization-induced diastereomer transformation (CIDT) of diastereomeric ketals with (1R,2R)-1,2-diphenylethane-1,2-diol. Investigation of the crystal structures by X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the difference in hydrogen bonds caused the discrepancy of the solubilities between (R) and (S) diastereomers. Furthermore, CIDT to afford the (R)-diastereomer in good yield (95% yield) and with high diastereoselectivity (97% de) was accomplished, which is the first example of CIDT of neutral compounds via formation of the diastereomeric ketal with (1R,2R)-1,2-diphenylethane-1,2-diol.

Chiral 3-oxocyclopentanecarbonitrile was prepared in good yield and with high diastereoselectivity by crystallization-induced diastereomer transformation of the corresponding diastereomeric ketal.

Crystal structure of racemic 2-[(β-arabino-pyran-osyl)-sulfanyl]-4,6-diphenylpyridine-3-carbo-nitrile

In the racemic title compound, C23H20N2O4S, the sulfur atom is attached equatorially to the sugar ring with unequal S-C bonds, viz.: S-Cs = 1.808 (2) and S-Cp = 1.770 (2) Å (s = sugar, p = pyrid-yl). The dihedral angles between the pyridine ring and its attached phenyl groups are 42.24 (8) and 6.37 (14)°. In the crystal, a system of classical O-H⋯O and O-H⋯(O,O) hydrogen bonds links the mol-ecules to form tube-like assemblies propagating parallel to the c-axis direction. Weak C-H⋯N inter-actions are also observed.

Asymmetric Formal Synthesis of the Long-Acting DPP-4 Inhibitor Omarigliptin

A highly efficient asymmetric synthesis of the key tetrahydropyranol intermediate of DPP-4 inhibitor omarigliptin (1) is described. The successful development of a protecting-group- and precious-metal-free synthesis was achieved via the discovery of a practical asymmetric Henry reaction and the application of a one-pot nitro-Michael-lactolization-dehydration through-process. Other features of the synthesis include a highly efficient MsCl-mediated dehydration and a crystallization-induced dynamic resolution for exceptional ee and dr upgrade. The synthesis of this complex intermediate utilizes simple starting materials and proceeds in four linear steps.

Betti's base for crystallization-induced deracemization of substituted aldehydes: synthesis of enantiopure amorolfine and fenpropimorph

The acid-promoted crystallization-induced diastereoisomer transformation (CIDT) of naphthoxazines derived from racemic O-protected 2-substituted 4-hydroxybutyraldehydes and enantiopure Betti's base allows the deracemization of the starting aldehydes with ee up to 96%. As an alternative, reduction with lithium aluminum hydride of the diastereoisomerically enriched naphthoxazines leads to enantioenriched primary amines. The utility of the latter strategy was demonstrated by applying it to the synthesis of enantioenriched fenpropimorph and to the first synthesis of enantiopure amorolfine, with ee up to 99.5%.

Automated reaction progress monitoring of heterogeneous reactions: crystallization-induced stereoselectivity in amine-catalyzed aldol reactions

A prototype solution/slurry automated sampling instrument reveals the origin of diastereoselectivity in this organocatalyzed aldol reaction.

Highly diastereoselective crystallization-induced asymmetric transformation of 1,3-disubstituted-tetrahydro-β-carbolines in water

A green and highly stereoselective method for the synthesis of cis or trans-1,3-disubstituted-tetrahydro-β-carbolines has been developed using water as the solvent.

The CERT antagonist HPA-12: first practical synthesis and individual binding evaluation of the four stereoisomers

The first unified synthetic route to the four enantiopure HPA-12 stereoisomers in multi-gram scale is reported based on Crystallization-Induced Asymmetric Transformation (CIAT) technology. This preparative stereoselective synthesis allowed the unprecedented comparative evaluation of HPA-12 stereoisomers regarding their interaction with the CERT START domain. In vitro binding assay coupled to in silico docking approach indicate a possible interaction for the four derivatives. The first TR-FRET homogeneous-phase assay was developed to quantify their binding to the START domain, allowing complete determination of HPA-12 EC₅₀. Results indicate that not only the (1R,3S) lead to the strongest binding, but that both 1R and 3S stereocenters similarly contribute to extent of recognition This automated homogenous assay further opens up promising prospect for the identification of novel potential CERT antagonist by means of high throughput screening.

Thermodynamic epimeric equilibration and crystallisation-induced dynamic resolution of lobelanine, norlobelanine and related analogues

The step-economical synthesis of lobelanine involving a ring closing double aza-Michael (RCDAM) reaction is revisited and successfully extended to the synthesis of various configurationally more stable analogues.

When two symmetrically independent molecules must be different: “Crystallization-induced diastereomerization” of chiral pinanyl sulfone

The stereochemical transformation accompanying crystallization of homochiral pinanyl sulfone has been studied.

Deracemization of axially chiral nicotinamides by dynamic salt formation with enantiopure dibenzoyltartaric acid (DBTA)

Dynamic atroposelective resolution of chiral salts derived from oily racemic nicotinamides and enantiopure dibenzoyltartaric acid (DBTA) was achieved by crystallization. The absolute structures of the axial chiral nicotinamides were determined by X-ray structural analysis. The chirality could be controlled by the selection of enantiopure DBTA as a chiral auxiliary. The axial chirality generated by dynamic salt formation was retained for a long period after dissolving the chiral salt in solution even after removal of the chiral acid. The rate of racemization of nicotinamides could be controlled based on the temperature and solvent properties, and that of the salts was prolonged compared to free nicotinamides, as the molecular structure of the pyridinium ion in the salts was different from that of acid-free nicotinamides.