A new family of planar-chiral symmetric and unsymmetric salens based on the [2.2]paracyclophane skeleton

Planar chiral [2.2]paracyclophanes: from synthetic curiosity to applications in asymmetric synthesis and materials

Planar chiral [2.2]paracyclophane-based ligands and employment of such enantiopure representative ligands to facilitate selective transformation of prochiral or racemic substances into enantiopure products are rarely explored compared to the complex chiral scaffolds such as ferrocenes. This tutorial discusses recent findings and inspiring progress in design, synthetic tunability and applications of planar chiral [2.2]paracyclophane systems as a practical class of catalysts for asymmetric synthesis. Here, we summarize a series of planar chiral [2.2]paracyclophanes that are becoming an important new tool-box in asymmetric synthesis, employed in a variety of synthetic venues such as new chiral ligands and catalysts for stereo-controlled and enantioselective addition of alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl and aryl zinc reagents to aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes, ketones, imines and many more. Besides, planar chiral [2.2]paracyclophanes are useful synthons, from a material perspective, can be incorporated into conjugated polymeric systems for chiroptical and optoelectronic properties, find broad applications in bio- and materials science, for instance, gold-based cytostatics, surface-mounted chiral MOF thin films for selective adsorption or in functionalized parylene polymer coatings, to name a few. This is an up-to-date tutorial review, written exclusively on planar chiral [2.2]paracyclophane chemistry, covering key aspects of synthesis, structures, properties, applications and future directions of chiral polymeric assemblies and novel biomaterials built with [2.2]paracyclophanes.

catena-Poly[[[(pyridine-κN)copper(II)]-μ-3-{1-[(2-amino-eth-yl)imino]-eth-yl}-6-methyl-2-oxo-2H-pyran-4-olato-κN,N,O:O] perchlorate]

In the title compound, {[Cu(C₁₀H₁₃N₂O₃)(C₅H₅N)]ClO₄}_n, the Cu^II atom has an N₃O₂ coordination sphere. The complex contains two different ligands, viz. a pyridine mol­ecule and a Schiff base mol­ecule, resulting from the condensation of ethyl­enodiamine with dehydro­acetic acid. The Cu^II atom exhibits a square-pyramidal geometry: three of the four donors of the pyramid base belong to the Schiff base ligand (an N atom from the amine group, a second N atom from the imine group and the O atom of the pyran­one residue) and the fourth donor is the pyridine N atom. The coordination around the metal ion is completed by a longer axial bond to the pyran­one O atom of an adjacent Schiff base, so forming a one-dimensional polymer. The complex has a +1 charge that is compensated by a perchlorate ion. The crystal packing, which can be described as alternating chains of cations and tetra­hedral perchlorate anions along the a axis, is stabilized by inter­molecular N—H⋯O, C—H⋯O and C—H⋯N hydrogen-bonding interactions.

Design and synthesis of planar chiral heterocyclic carbene precursors derived from [2.2]paracyclophane

A unique family of planar chiral symmetrical N-heterocyclic carbene precursors with restricted flexibility derived from [2.2]paracyclopane were obtained by a new synthetic route. The resolution of 4-amino-13-bromo[2.2]paracyclophane was achieved with relatively high efficiency. Starting from (4 S p,13 R p)-4-amino-13-bromo[2.2]paracyclophane, the planar chiral pseudogem-disubstituted [2.2]paracyclophanyl dihydroimidazoliums were prepared in a four-step sequence with good yields. The resulting dihydroimidazolium salts were fully characterized with a series of methods including single-crystal X-ray diffraction technique.

Synthesis of Pseudo-geminal-, Pseudo-ortho-, and ortho-Phosphinyl-oxazolinyl-[2.2]paracyclophanes for Use as Ligands in Asymmetric Catalysis

Syntheses of three regioisomers of aromatic-substituted phosphinyl-oxazolinyl-[2.2]paracyclophanes, pseudo-geminal, pseudo-ortho, and ortho, have been carried out or, in the latter two cases, newly developed. It has, therefore, been demonstrated that all aromatic-substituted isomers relevant for use as chelating ligands for asymmetric catalysis are accessible. These P,N-ligands, along with their diastereoisomers, were shown to exhibit widely differing activity and enantioselectivity (up to 89% ee) in the Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation reaction.

Novel multichiral diols and diamines by highly stereoselective pinacol coupling of planar chiral [2.2]paracyclophane derivatives

The TiCl4/Zn-mediated intermolecular pinacol coupling of the planar chiral carbonyl compounds [2.2]paracyclophane-4-carbaldehyde, 4-acetyl[2.2]paracyclophane (ketone) and the four regioisomeric 5-, 7-, 12- and 13-methoxy[2.2]paracyclophane-4-carbaldehydes as well as the pTosOH-Zn/Cu-promoted coupling of their N-substituted imines is described. Coupling of the enantiomerically pure substrates (most of carbonyl compounds and all imines) occurs stereoselectively giving rise to diastereomerically pure 1,2-diols and 1,2-diamines. Racemic aldehydes and ketone react with different degrees of stereoselectivity (depending on the substituents in certain positions) and produce one to three diastereomers. 7-methoxy[2.2]paracyclophane-4-carbaldehyde undergoes a tandem pinacol coupling-pinacol rearrangement to yield bis-(7-methoxy[2.2]paracyclophane-4-yl)acetaldehyde. Coupling of the racemic imines produces a mixture of single racemic D,L-diamine and single meso-diamine in each case. The stereoselective formation of the asymmetric centres is governed by the planar chiral [2.2]paracyclophanyl moiety. The techniques elaborated are extended to the intramolecular coupling of [2.2]paracyclophane-4,13-dicarbaldehyde and its bis-N-phenylimine, resulting in stereoselective formation of the chiral triply-bridged diol and exclusive formation of the meso-diamine. X-Ray investigations of several diols and diamines have been carried out and the structural features of these derivatives are discussed.

Structurally Diverse Second-Generation [2.2]Paracyclophane Ketimines with Planar and Central Chirality: Syntheses, Structural Determination, and Evaluation for Asymmetric Catalysis

A set of 20 novel [2.2]paracyclophane ketimines with planar and central chirality has been synthesized from enantiomerically pure and racemic 5-acyl-4-hydroxy[2.2]paracyclophane and alpha-branched chiral amines. Their X-ray structures were determined to elucidate the three-dimensional structures and the absolute configuration. The ketimines were used as catalysts in the asymmetric 1,2-addition reactions of diethylzinc with substituted benzaldehydes to furnish chiral alcohols in up to 95 % ee.