Synthesis of Optically Active Poly(diphenylacetylene)s Using Polymer Reactions and an Evaluation of Their Chiral Recognition Abilities as Chiral Stationary Phases for HPLC

Optically active poly(diphenylacetylene)s showing solvent-dependent helix inversion accompanied by modulation of helix inversion barriers

Symmetrically substituted poly(diphenylacetylene)s bearing optically active 2-octyloxycarbonyl groups at the para-positions of the pendant phenyl rings not only show a unique solvent-dependent helix inversion to afford diastereomeric right- and left-handed helical polymers but also significant unprecedented solvent-dependent changes in the helix inversion barrier of the polymer backbone resulting in switching between static or dynamic behavior of the helical polymers at approximately room temperature depending on the solvents used.

Positive Synergy between the Helical Poly(phenylacetylene) Backbones and the Helical L-Proline Oligopeptide Pendants for Enhanced Enantioseparation Properties

A series of optically active helical poly(phenylacetylene)s (PPA-Pro1, PPA-Pro3, PPA-Pro6, PPA-Pro9, and PPA-Pro12) bearing different chain lengths of L-proline oligopeptide in the side chains were obtained by polymerizing the corresponding novel phenylacetylene monomers. The monomer adopted a trans-rich helix structure when the L-proline oligopeptide chain length was longer, according to the optical activities and 2D-NMR analysis. The helical structure could be maintained and significantly influenced the polymers' helical conformation by introducing the L-proline oligopeptide to the pendants. By the way, the morphology of PPA-Pro3 was observed by atomic force microscope (AFM) on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), and the information on the helix direction, pitch, and chain arrangement was obtained. Also, the chiral separation properties of these polymer-based chiral stationary phases (CSPs) were investigated using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The poly(phenylacetylene)s showed enhanced enantioseparation properties toward various racemates depending on the longer chain length of the L-proline oligopeptide in the pendants and the positive synergy between the helical backbone and helical side chains. Particularly, PPA-Pro9 showed comparable or even superior enantioseparation properties for racemates 2 and 9 to four commercial columns (Daicel Chiralpak or Chiralcel AD, AS, OD, and OT), indicating that these poly(phenylacetylene)-based CSPs have potential practical values. This work presented here provides inspiration for the further development of CSPs based on a new paradigm.

Facile Synthesis of Linear and Cyclic Poly(diphenylacetylene)s by Molybdenum and Tungsten Catalysis

Improved methods for the synthesis of linear and cyclic poly(diphenylacetylene)s by polymerization of the corresponding diphenylacetylenes using MoCl5 - and WCl4 -based catalytic systems have been developed. MoCl5 induces migratory insertion polymerization of diphenylacetylenes in the presence of arylation reagents such as Ph4 Sn and ArSnn Bu3 to produce cis-stereoregular linear poly(diphenylacetyelene)s with high molecular weights (number-average molar mass (Mn )=30,000-3,200,000) in good yields (up to 98 %). On the other hand, WCl4 induces ring expansion polymerization of diphenylacetylenes in the presence of Ph4 Sn or reducing reagents to produce cis-stereoregular cyclic poly(diphenylacetylene)s with high molecular weights (Mn =20,000-250,000) in moderate to good yields (up to 90 %). Both catalytic systems are applicable to the polymerization of various diphenylacetylenes having polar functional groups such as esters that are not efficiently polymerized by conventional methods using WCl6 -Ph4 Sn and TaCl5 -n Bu4 Sn systems.

Recent advances of optically active helical polymers as adsorbents and chiral stationary phases for chiral resolution

Chiral resolution is very important and still a big challenge due to different biological activity and same physicochemical property of one pair (R)- and (S)-isomer. There is no doubt that chiral selectors are essentially needed for chiral resolution, which can stereoselectively interact with a pair of isomers. To date, a large amount of optically active helical polymers as chiral selectors have been synthesized via two strategies. First, the target helical polymers are derived from natural polysaccharide such as cellulose and amylose. Second, they can be synthesized by polymerization of chiral monomers. Alternatively, an achiral polymer is prepared first followed by static or dynamic chiral induction. Furthermore, a part of them is harnessed as chiral stationary phases for chromatographic chiral separation and as chiral adsorbents for enantioselective adsorption/crystallization, resulting in good enantioseparation efficiency. In summary, the present review will focus on recent progress of the polymers with optical activity for chiral resolution, especially the literature published in the past 10 years. In addition, development prospects and future challenges of optically active helical polymers will be discussed in detail.

Solvent-dependent helix inversion in optically active poly(diphenylacetylene)s and their chiral recognition abilities as chiral stationary phases for high-performance liquid chromatography

We report the first example of solvent-dependent helix inversion in poly(diphenylacetylene) (PDPA) derivatives. Asymmetrically substituted PDPAs bearing optically active substituents linked through amide bonds formed preferred-handed helical conformations because of the optically active substituents in the pendants, whose helix-senses were inverted upon thermal annealing in polar solvents such as N,N-dimethylformamide and dimethylsulfoxide and in nonpolar solvents such as tetrachloroethane. Unlike the solvent-dependent helix inversion reported for other dynamic helical polymers, the macromolecular helicity induced in the polymer backbone of these PDPAs upon thermal annealing was stably maintained at room temperature, independent of the solvent polarity. These diastereomeric PDPAs with opposite helix-senses generated almost mirror-imaged left- and right-handed circularly polarized light in the same solvent at room temperature. Taking advantage of this unique solvent-dependent helix inversion property, the diastereomeric PDPAs with opposite helix-senses were coated on macroporous silica gel and applied to chiral stationary phases for high-performance liquid chromatography. Despite having the same optically active substituents on the pendant phenyl rings, they showed completely different chiral recognition abilities toward many racemates depending on the helix-sense of the polymer backbone, and the elution order of the enantiomers was reversed for some racemates. The combination of the helix-sense of the polymer backbone and the chirality of the pendants, which afforded a higher chiral recognition ability, differed depending on the racemates.

Effect of pendant stereostructure on backbone conformation and enantioseparation ability of helical polyacetylene-based chiral stationary phases

Six proline-derived acetylene monomers bearing either two stereocenters (S-mR, S-mS, R-mS, Rac-mS and S-mRac) or one stereocenter (S-mBn) were obtained from commercially available N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-prolinal. Under the catalysis of Rh-diene complex, they were converted to the corresponding optically active helical polymers, S-pR, S-pS, R-pS, Rac-pS, S-pRac, and S-pBn. The correlations between configuration and position of stereocenters in pendants with the polymer conformation as well as chiral resolution performance were systematically explored by a combination of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Raman, UV-Vis absorption, electronic/vibration circular dichroism spectroscopies, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and computational simulation. The configuration of the stereocenter adjacent to polymer mainchain determined the sense of helical conformation and the elution order of analytes, while that of the remote one affected the arrangement of pendants and the scope of analytes that could be discriminated. Among 18 aromatic analytes selected, S-pR could discriminate 10, while S-pS recognized 12. The racemization of adjacent or remote stereocenters greatly reduced the scope of analytes that could be resolved. Based on computer simulations, S-pS had larger recognition space than S-pR, favoring the steric fit with the racemates containing axial chirality. The strength and number of intermolecular hydrogen bondings between enantiomers and CSPs predominantly determined the chiral discrimination.

Recent progress in the development of chiral stationary phases for high-performance liquid chromatography

Separations and analyses of chiral compounds are important in many fields, including pharmaceutical production, preparation of chemical intermediates, and biochemistry. High-performance liquid chromatography using a chiral stationary phase is regarded as one of the most valuable methods for enantiomeric separation and analysis because it is highly efficient, is broadly applicable, and has powerful separation capability. The focus for development of this method is the identification of novel chiral stationary phases with superior recognition performance and good stability. The present article reviews recent progress in the development of new chiral stationary phases for high-performance liquid chromatography between January 2018 and June 2021. These newly reported chiral stationary phases are divided into three categories: small organic molecule-based (cyclodextrin and its derivatives, macrocyclic antibiotics, cinchona alkaloids, and other low molecular weight chiral molecules), macromolecule-based (cellulose and amylose derivatives, chitin and chitosan derivatives, and synthetic helical polymers) and chiral porous material-based (chiral metal-organic frameworks, chiral covalent organic frameworks, and chiral inorganic mesoporous silicas). Each type of chiral stationary phase is discussed in detail.

Helical springs as a color indicator for determining chirality and enantiomeric excess

Chirality plays a key role in the physiological system, because molecular functionalities may drastically alter due to a change in chirality. We report herein a unique color indicator with a static helicity memory, which exhibits visible color changes in response to the chirality of chiral amines. A difference of less than 2% in the enantiomeric excess (ee) values causes a change in the absorption that is visible to the naked eyes. This was further quantified by digital photography by converting to RGB values. This system relies on the change in the tunable helical pitch of the π-conjugated polymer backbone in specific solvents and allows rapid on-site monitoring of chirality of nonracemic amines, including drugs, and the simultaneous quantitative determination of their ee values.

Enantioseparation by high-performance liquid chromatography on proline-derived helical polyacetylenes

The nature, size, and position of the substituent on the phenyl ring remarkably influence the enantioseparation performance of polyacetylene-based CSPs.

Synthesis of a poly(diphenylacetylene) bearing optically active anilide pendants and its application to a chiral stationary phase for high-performance liquid chromatography

Poly(diphenylacetylene) having optically active anilide pendants (poly-1) were synthesized by the condensation reaction of an optically active carboxylic acid with a key precursor polymer containing amino (-NH₂) groups, which was prepared by the polymerization of a phthalimide-protected diphenylacetylene monomer using WCl₆-Ph₄Sn as a catalyst, followed by phthalimide deprotection in the resulting polymer using hydrazine monohydrate. Poly-1 formed a preferred-handed helical conformation (h-poly-1) upon thermal annealing in DMF because of chirality of the pendant group. Poly-1 and h-poly-1 showed different chiral recognition abilities from the analogous poly(diphenylacetylene)s, having the corresponding optically active amide pendants, as chiral stationary phases (CSPs) for high-performance liquid chromatography. The resolution results with the h-poly-1-based CSP were much better than those with the poly-1-based CSP owing to the preferred-handed macromolecular helicity. Among the tested racemates, the h-poly-1-based CSP exhibited superior chiral recognition ability, especially toward binaphthyl compounds and chiral metal complexes.

Synthesis of poly(phenylacetylene)s containing chiral phenylethyl carbamate residues as coated-type CSPs with high solvent tolerability

Two novel helical poly(phenylacetylene) derivatives containing chiral phenylethyl carbamate residues in the end of each side chain (PPA-S and PPA-R) were synthesized by polymerization of the corresponding phenylacetylene monomers using Rh(nbd)BPh₄ as a catalyst in DMF. The enantioseparation properties of the polymers were evaluated as coated-type chiral stationary phases (CSPs) for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Under the same chromatographic conditions, PPA-S and PPA-R showed different enantioseparation properties, indicating that the different interactions between the analytes and the polymers, which result from the different chiral phenylethyl carbamate groups in the end of each side chains. Racemates 1, 7, and 8 could be better resolved on PPA-S, while racemate 6 was separated on PPA-R more efficiently. In addition, the coated-type CSPs showed good solvent tolerability and could work without any damage by introducing the polar solvents, such as CHCl₃ and THF, in eluent. Moreover, some racemates could be better resolved on these coated-type CSPs with the addition of THF to the eluent.

Synthesis and enantioseparation of proline-derived helical polyacetylenes as chiral stationary phases for HPLC

Proline-derived aliphatically substituted polyacetylenes with stable helical conformations exhibit an excellent enantioseparation ability as chiral stationary phases of HPLC.

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

Catalytically active chiral π-conjugated polymers (poly-1(NO)r) bearing pyridine N-oxide pendants were synthesized by ternary copolymerization of a d-glucose-bound diethynyl compound with two types of thieno[3,4-b]thiophene comonomer, one of which contained a pyridine N-oxide group. When the pyridine N-oxide content in the copolymer was 10 mol% (poly-1(NO)0.10), the polymer backbone formed a one-handed helical structure in acetonitrile. Pyridine N-oxide pendants arranged inside the helical cavity of poly-1(NO)0.10 exhibited catalytic activity for the asymmetric allylation of benzaldehydes, producing the corresponding allyl alcohols with up to 43% ee.

Chiral Stationary Phases for Liquid Chromatography: Recent Developments

The planning and development of new chiral stationary phases (CSPs) for liquid chromatography (LC) are considered as continuous and evolutionary issues since the introduction of the first CSP in 1938. The main objectives of the development strategies were to attempt the improvement of the chromatographic enantioresolution performance of the CSPs as well as enlarge their versatility and range of applications. Additionally, the transition to ultra-high-performance LC were underscored. The most recent strategies have comprised the introduction of new chiral selectors, the use of new materials as chromatographic supports or the reduction of its particle size, and the application of different synthetic approaches for preparation of CSPs. This review gathered the most recent developments associated to the different types of CSPs providing an overview of the relevant advances that are arising on LC.

Chiral helical disubstituted polyacetylenes form optically active particles through precipitation polymerization

Preparation of optically active polymer particles constructed by chiral helical disubstituted polyacetylenes via precipitation polymerization.

Influence of different sequences of l-proline dipeptide derivatives in the pendants on the helix of poly(phenylacetylene)s and their enantioseparation properties

Novel helical poly(phenylacetylene)s bearing different sequences of l-proline dipeptide derivative pendants were prepared and used as CSPs in HPLC for enantioseparation.

Synthesis of a helical π-conjugated polymer with a dynamic hydrogen-bonded network in the helical cavity and its circularly polarized luminescence properties

We have succeeded in developing a circularly polarized luminescent π-conjugated polymer with a dynamic hydrogen-bonded network in the helical cavity.

Chiral stationary phase optimized selectivity liquid chromatography: A strategy for the separation of chiral isomers

Chiral Stationary-Phase Optimized Selectivity Liquid Chromatography (SOSLC) is proposed as a tool to optimally separate mixtures of enantiomers on a set of commercially available coupled chiral columns. This approach allows for the prediction of the separation profiles on any possible combination of the chiral stationary phases based on a limited number of preliminary analyses, followed by automated selection of the optimal column combination. Both the isocratic and gradient SOSLC approach were implemented for prediction of the retention times for a mixture of 4 chiral pairs on all possible combinations of the 5 commercial chiral columns. Predictions in isocratic and gradient mode were performed with a commercially available and with an in-house developed Microsoft visual basic algorithm, respectively. Optimal predictions in the isocratic mode required the coupling of 4 columns whereby relative deviations between the predicted and experimental retention times ranged between 2 and 7%. Gradient predictions led to the coupling of 3 chiral columns allowing baseline separation of all solutes, whereby differences between predictions and experiments ranged between 0 and 12%. The methodology is a novel tool allowing optimizing the separation of mixtures of optical isomers.

Helical Polyacetylenes Induced via Noncovalent Chiral Interactions and Their Applications as Chiral Materials

Construction of predominantly one-handed helical polyacetylenes with a desired helix sense utilizing noncovalent chiral interactions with nonracemic chiral guest compounds based on a supramolecular approach is described. As with the conventional dynamic helical polymers possessing optically active pendant groups covalently bonded to the polymer chains, this noncovalent helicity induction system can show significant chiral amplification phenomena, in which the chiral information of the nonracemic guests can transfer with high cooperativity through noncovalent bonding interactions to induce an almost single-handed helical conformation in the polymer backbone. An intriguing "memory effect" of the induced macromolecular helicity is observed for some polyacetylenes, which means that the helical conformations induced in dynamic helical polyacetylene can be transformed into metastable static ones by tuning their helix-inversion barriers. Potential applications of helical polyacetylenes with controlled helix sense constructed by the "noncovalent helicity induction and/or memory effect" as chiral materials are also described.

Chiral stationary phases consisting of π-conjugated polymers bearing glucose-linked biphenyl units: reversible switching of resolution abilities based on a coil-to-helix transition

We have succeeded in developing a novel chiral stationary phase that can reversibly switch resolution abilities based on a coil-to-helix transition in a column.