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Chen Y, Cao Z, Feng T, Zhang X, Li Z, Dong X, Huang S, Liu Y, Cao X, Sue ACH, Peng C, Lin X, Wang L, Li H. Enantioselective Self-Assembly of a Homochiral Tetrahedral Cage Comprising Only Achiral Precursors. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202400467. [PMID: 38273162 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202400467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
How Nature synthesizes enantiomerically pure substances from achiral or racemic resources remains a mystery. In this study, we aimed to emulate this natural phenomenon by constructing chiral tetrahedral cages through self-assembly, achieved by condensing two achiral compounds-a trisamine and a trisaldehyde. The occurrence of intercomponent CH⋅⋅⋅π interactions among the phenyl building blocks within the cage frameworks results in twisted conformations, imparting planar chirality to the tetrahedrons. In instances where the trisaldehyde precursor features electron-withdrawing ester side chains, we observed that the intermolecular CH⋅⋅⋅π forces are strong enough to prevent racemization. To attain enantioselective self-assembly, a chiral amine was introduced during the imine formation process. The addition of three equivalents of chiral amino mediator to one equivalent of the achiral trisaldehyde precursor formed a trisimino intermediate. This chiral compound was subsequently combined with the achiral trisamino precursor, leading to an imine exchange reaction that releasing the chiral amino mediator and formation of the tetrahedral cage with an enantiomeric excess (ee) of up to 75 %, exclusively composed of achiral building blocks. This experimental observation aligns with theoretical calculations based on the free energies of related cage structures. Moreover, since the chiral amine was not consumed during the imine exchange cycle, it enabled the enantioselective self-assembly of the tetrahedral cage for multiple cycles when new batches of the achiral trisaldehyde and trisamino precursors were successively added.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixin Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Ze Cao
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Tinglong Feng
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Key Laboratory of Excited-State Materials of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xiaobo Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Zhaoyong Li
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Key Laboratory of Excited-State Materials of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xue Dong
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Shaoying Huang
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Yingchun Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xiaoyu Cao
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Andrew C-H Sue
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Chuanhui Peng
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Xufeng Lin
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Linjun Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Key Laboratory of Excited-State Materials of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Hao Li
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Hangzhou, 310027, China
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Zuo Y, Liu X, Fu E, Zhang S. A Pair of Interconverting Cages Formed from Achiral Precursors Spontaneously Resolve into Homochiral Conformers. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202217225. [PMID: 36748582 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202217225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Without chiral induction the emergence of homochirality from achiral molecules is rather serendipitous, as the rationale is somewhat ambiguous. We herein provide a plausible solution. From achiral precursors are formed a pair of interconverting cage conformers that exhibit a C3 -axis as the only symmetry element. When their interconversion is impeded with intramolecular H-bonding, each conformer self-sorts into a homochiral crystal, which is driven by a helical network of multivalent intermolecular interactions during the self-assembly of homochiral cage conformers. As no chiral induction is involved throughout, we believe our study could enlighten the rational design for the emergence of homochirality with several criteria: 1) formation of a molecule without inversion center or mirror plane; 2) suppression of the enantiomeric interconversion, and introduction of multivalent interactions along the helical trajectory of screw symmetry within the resulting superstructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Zuo
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Xiaoning Liu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Enguang Fu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Shaodong Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
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Wu Y, Zhang C, Fang S, Zhu D, Chen Y, Ge C, Tang H, Li H. A Self‐Assembled Cage Binding Iodide Anions over Other Halide Ions in Water. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202209078. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.202209078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yating Wu
- Department of Chemistry Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310027 P. R. China
| | - Chi Zhang
- Department of Chemistry Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310027 P. R. China
| | - Shuai Fang
- Department of Chemistry Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310027 P. R. China
| | - Dingsheng Zhu
- Department of Chemistry Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310027 P. R. China
| | - Yixin Chen
- Department of Chemistry Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310027 P. R. China
| | - Chenqi Ge
- Department of Chemistry Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310027 P. R. China
| | - Hua Tang
- Department of Chemistry Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310027 P. R. China
| | - Hao Li
- Department of Chemistry Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310027 P. R. China
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center Zhejiang University Hangzhou 311215 P. R. China
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Wu Y, Zhang C, Fang S, Zhu D, Chen Y, Ge C, Tang H, Li H. A Self‐Assembled Cage Binding Iodide Anion over Halide Ions in Water. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202209078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yating Wu
- Zhejiang University Department of Chemistry CHINA
| | - Chi Zhang
- Zhejiang University Department of Chemistry CHINA
| | - Shuai Fang
- Zhejiang University Department of Chemistry CHINA
| | | | - Yixin Chen
- Zhejiang University Department of Chemistry CHINA
| | - Chenqi Ge
- Zhejiang University Department of Chemistry CHINA
| | - Hua Tang
- Zhejiang University Department of Chemistry CHINA
| | - Hao Li
- Zhejiang University Department of Chemistry Zhejiang UniversityYuquan CampusNo.8 buildingroom 514 310027 Hangzhou CHINA
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Chen Y, Lei Y, Tong L, Li H. Stabilization of Dynamic Covalent Architectures by Multivalence. Chemistry 2021; 28:e202102910. [PMID: 34591343 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202102910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The formation of imine bond is reversible. This feature has been taken advantage of by chemists for accomplishing high yielding self-assembly. On the other hand, it also jeopardizes the intrinsic stability of these self-assembled products. However, some recent discoveries demonstrate that some of these imine bond containing molecules could be rather stable or kinetically inert. A deep investigation indicated that such enhanced stability results from, at least partially, multivalence. Such results also inspire chemists to use imine condensation for self-assembly in water, a solvent that is considered not compatible with imine bond for a long time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixin Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, P. R. China
| | - Ye Lei
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, P. R. China
| | - Lu Tong
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, P. R. China
| | - Hao Li
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, P. R. China.,ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Hangzhou, 311215, P. R. China
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