Asymmetric synthesis of chiral ferrocenyl fulleropyrrolidines as potential building blocks for new materials

Peptide-catalyzed kinetic resolution of planar-chiral metallocenes

Kinetic resolution of racemic planar-chiral metallocenes was performed by a resin-supported peptide catalyst, in which low-molecular-weight organocatalysts were not effective.

Convenient Access to New Chiral Ferroceno-(iso)quinolines

[Chemical reaction: see text] New chiral pyridine derivatives possessing the planar chirality of the ferrocene have been prepared by means of an aldolization-crotonization reaction. This very simple reaction has been applied to the synthesis of isomers 1-4 that differ in the position of the nitrogen atom on the pyridine ring. Following the same procedure, asymmetric synthesis of 1 has been achieved using an enantiopure ferrocenylzinc intermediate. This method has also allowed the preparation of a chiral analogue of 2,2'-bipyridine.

Synthesis, Spectroscopic and Nonlinear Optical Properties of Multiple [60]Fullerene-Oligo(p-phenylene ethynylene) Hybrids

A series of multiple [60]fullerene terminated oligo(p-phenylene ethynylene) (OPE) hybrid compounds has been synthesized through a newly developed in situ ethynylation method. Structural and magnetic shielding properties of the highly unsaturated carbon-rich C(60) and OPE scaffolds were characterized by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analyses. Electronic interactions between the [60]fullerenes and the OPE backbones were investigated by UV/Vis spectroscopic and cyclic voltammetry (CV) experiments. Our studies clearly show that although the multiple [60]fullerene groups are connected via pi-conjugated OPE frameworks, they present diminutive electronic interactions in the ground state, and the electronic behavior of the [60]fullerene cages are only affected by the OPE backbones through modest inductive effects. Interestingly, sizable third-order nonlinear optical (NLO) responses (gamma) and enhanced two-photon absorption (TPA) cross-sections (sigma((2))) were determined for the multifullerene-OPE hybrid 31 relative to its OPE precursor from differential optical Kerr effect (DOKE) experiments. Such enhanced NLO performance is presumably due to the occurrence of periconjugation and/or charge transfer effects in the excited state. In addition, comparatively strong excited-state absorption was observed and characterized for OPE pentamer 12. Thus, the use of such fullerene-derivatized conjugated oligomers aids the quest for molecules with large third-order NLO and TPA properties.

Chiral nanotechnology

A review of chiral, nanoscale science and technology is presented, with the subject divided into two topics. The first discusses nanotechnology in the service of asymmetric synthesis, chiral separations, and analysis. The second topic concerns broader research in the nanotechnology realm, where molecular chirality plays a role in the properties of materials, including molecular devices, chiral supramolecules, chiral nanotubes, chiral fullerenes, and DNA nanotechnology.

Facile Synthesis of Multifullerene-OPE Hybrids via in Situ Ethynylation

[reaction: see text] A series of fullerene-terminated oligo(phenylene ethynylene)s (OPEs) (1a-d and 2) have been synthesized and further characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and UV-vis spectroscopy. The key step in the syntheses is an effective one-pot reaction that allows the attachment of C(60) to multiple terminal alkynes.

Acylation of 2,5-dimethoxycarbonyl[60]fulleropyrrolidine and synthesis of its multifullerene derivatives

2,5-Dimethoxycarbonyl[60]fulleropyrrolidine (1) is acylated with various chlorocarbonyl compounds to give fullerene derivatives with the general formula C(60)(MeOOCCH)(2)NC(O)R, R = (CH(2))(5)Br, (CH(2))(8)C(O)Cl (3), (CH(2))(4)C(O)Cl, or cis-C(6)H(4)(C(O)Cl. The monoacylated sebacoyl derivative 3 readily reacts with alcohols and amines such as methanol, diethylamine, glycine methyl ester, and aza-18-crown-6 through the remaining chlorocarbonyl group. Chromatography of 3 on silica gel converts it into the corresponding acid C(60)(MeOOCCH)(2)NC(O)(CH(2))(8)COOH (4). Treating 4 with PCl(5) regenerates the precursor 3 quantitatively. Piperazine reacts with 4 in the presence of DCC and BtOH to form a bisfullerene derivative in which two sebacoyl chains and the piperazine act as the bridge between two molecules of 1. Other molecules with multifunctional groups react with 4 similarly to form multifullerene derivatives. NMR data indicate that the rotation of the relatively bulky phthaloyl group is hindered around the amide bond N [bond] C(O), the rotation barrier of which is 15.06 kcal/mol. The relative stereochemistry of the 2,5-dimethoxycarbonyl groups is established by (1)H NMR spectra and further confirmed by resolution of the enantiomeric 2,5-trans-isomer of the starting material 1.