Synthesis of helical π-conjugated polymers bearing pyridine N-oxide pendants and asymmetric allylation of aldehydes in the helical cavity

Homochiral π-Rich Covalent Organic Frameworks Enabled Chirality Imprinting in Conjugated Polymers: Confined Polymerization and Chiral Memory from Scratch

Optically active π-conjugated polymers (OACPs) have garnered increasing research interest for their resemblance to biological helices and intriguing chirality-related functions. Traditional methods for synthesizing involve decorating achiral conjugated polymer architectures with enantiopure side substituents through complex organic synthesis. Here, we report a new approach: the templated synthesis of unsubstituted OACPs via supramolecularly confined polymerizations of achiral monomers within nanopores of 2D or 3D chiral covalent organic frameworks (CCOFs). We show that the chiral π-rich nanospaces facilitate the in situ enantiospecific polymerization and self-propagation, akin to nonenzymatic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system, resulting in chiral imprinting. The stacked polymer chains are kinetically inert enough to memorize the chiral information after liberating from CCOFs, and even after treatment at temperature up to 200 °C. The isolated OACPs demonstrate robust enantiodiscrimination, achieving up to 85 % ee in separating racemic amino acids. This underscores the potential of utilizing CCOFs as templates for supramolecularly imprinting optical activity into CPs, paving the way for synthetic evolution and advanced functional exploration of OACPs.

One-Handed Helical Tubular Ladder Polymers for Chromatographic Enantioseparation

Defect-free one-handed contracted helical tubular ladder polymers with a π-electron-rich cylindrical helical cavity were synthesized by alkyne benzannulations of the random-coil precursor polymers containing 6,6'-linked-1,1'-spirobiindane-7,7'-diol-based chiral monomer units. The resulting tightly-twisted helical tubular ladder polymers showed remarkably high enantioseparation abilities toward a variety of chiral hydrophobic aromatics with point, axial, and planar chiralities. The random-coil precursor polymer and analogous rigid-rod extended helical ribbon-like ladder polymer with no internal helical cavity exhibited no resolution abilities. The molecular dynamics simulations suggested that the π-electron-rich cylindrical helical cavity formed in the tightly-twisted tubular helical ladder structures is of key importance for producing the highly-enantioseparation ability, by which chiral aromatics can be enantioselectively encapsulated by specific π-π and/or hydrophobic interactions.

Helix Induction and Inversion of Polymeric Foldamer Regulated by the Single Enantiomers

In general, a single enantiomer can induce a foldamer into a preferred-handed helix, while another condition is required for the helical inversion. In this work, it is found that the helix induction and subsequent inversion of the poly(m-phenylene diethynylene)-based foldamer bearing aza-18-crown-6 pendants (Poly-1) can be realized by increasing the concentration of sterically hindered L-amino acid perchlorate salts. When the amount of chiral enantiomers is small, one enantiomer tends to complex with two non-adjacent aza-18-crown-6 rings via three N⁺ -H···O hydrogen bonds in a sandwich mode. Notably, the transition dipole moment is perpendicular to aza-18-crown-6 ring, so that the induced helical chirality in Poly-1 main chain is opposite to the chirality of enantiomers. When the amount of chiral enantiomers is large enough, each aza-18-crown-6 is occupied by one enantiomer, which causes the transition dipole moment in a parallel direction to aza-18-crown-6 ring. In this case, the increased steric hindrance can facilitate the inversion of screw sense of Poly-1 main chain, which is directed by chiral center of enantiomers. As a result, a helix inversion has been achieved successfully. This work not only provides a novel strategy for regulating the two-stage folded helical conformations by the single enantiomers, but opens a window to develop chiral recognition materials. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

A review of π-conjugated polymer-based nanocomposites for metal-ion batteries and supercapacitors

Owing to their extraordinary properties of π-conjugated polymers (π-CPs), such as light weight, structural versatility, ease of synthesis and environmentally friendly nature, they have attracted considerable attention as electrode material for metal-ion batteries (MIBs) and supercapacitors (SCPs). Recently, researchers have focused on developing nanostructured π-CPs and their composites with metal oxides and carbon-based materials to enhance the energy density and capacitive performance of MIBs and SCPs. Also, the researchers recently demonstrated various novel strategies to combine high electrical conductivity and high redox activity of different π-CPs. To reflect this fact, the present review investigates the current advancements in the synthesis of nanostructured π-CPs and their composites. Further, this review explores the recent development in different methods for the fabrication and design of π-CPs electrodes for MIBs and SCPs. In review, finally, the future prospects and challenges of π-CPs as an electrode materials for strategies for MIBs and SCPs are also presented.

Emergence of Highly Enantioselective Catalytic Activity in a Helical Polymer Mediated by Deracemization of Racemic Pendants

Any polymers composed of racemic repeating units are obviously optically inactive and hence chiral functions, such as asymmetric catalysis, will not be expected at all. Contrary to such a preconceived notion, we report an unprecedented helical polymer-based highly enantioselective organocatalyst prepared by polymerization of a racemic monomer with no catalytic activity. Both the right- and left-handed helical poly(biarylylacetylene)s (PBAs) composed of dynamically racemic 2-arylpyridyl-N-oxide monomer units with N-oxide moieties located in the vicinity of the helical polymer backbone can be produced by noncovalent interaction with a chiral alcohol through deracemization of the biaryl pendants. The macromolecular helicity and the axial chirality induced in the PBAs are retained ("memorized") after complete removal of the chiral alcohol. Accordingly, the helical PBAs with dual static memory of the helicity and axial chirality show remarkable enantioselectivity (86% ee) for the asymmetric allylation of benzaldehyde. The enantioselectivity is slightly lower than that (96% ee) of the homochiral PBAs prepared from the corresponding enantiopure (R)- and (S)-monomers, but is comparable to that (88% ee) of the helical PBA composed of nonracemic monomers of ca. 60% ee.

Heteroaromatic N-Oxides in Asymmetric Catalysis: A Review

An increasing interest in the synthesis and use of optically active pyridine N-oxides as chiral controllers for asymmetric reactions has been observed in the last few years. Chiral heteroaromatic N-oxides can work as powerful electron-pair donors, providing suitable electronic environments in the transition state formed within the reaction. The nucleophilicity of the oxygen atom in N-oxides, coupled with a high affinity of silicon to oxygen, represent ideal properties for the development of synthetic methodology based on nucleophilic activation of organosilicon reagents. The application of chiral N-oxides as efficient organocatalysts in allylation, propargylation, allenylation, and ring-opening of meso-epoxides, as well as chiral ligands for metal complexes catalyzing Michael addition or nitroaldol reaction, can also be found in the literature. This review deals with stereoselective applications of N-oxides, and how the differentiating properties are correlated with their structure. It contains more recent results, covering approximately the last ten years. All the reported examples have been divided into five classes, according to the chirality elements present in their basic molecular frameworks.

Silylium cation initiated sergeants-and-soldiers type chiral amplification of helical aryl isocyanide copolymers

Silylium cations act as new highly efficient metal-free single-component cationic initiators for the cationic polymerization and copolymerization of chiral or achiral aryl isocyanides, preparing optically active polymers and copolymers obeying “sergeants-and-soldiers” rule.