Multilayer 3D Chirality and Its Synthetic Assembly

C(sp)-C(sp) Lever-Based Targets of Orientational Chirality: Design and Asymmetric Synthesis

In this study, the design and asymmetric synthesis of a series of chiral targets of orientational chirality were conducted by taking advantage of N-sulfinylimine-assisted nucleophilic addition and modified Sonogashira catalytic coupling systems. Orientational isomers were controlled completely using alkynyl/alkynyl levers [C(sp)-C(sp) axis] with absolute configuration assignment determined by X-ray structural analysis. The key structural element of the resulting orientational chirality is uniquely characterized by remote through-space blocking. Forty examples of multi-step synthesis were performed, with modest to good yields and excellent orientational selectivity. Several chiral orientational amino targets are attached with scaffolds of natural and medicinal products, showing potential pharmaceutical and medical applications in the future.

New multiple-layered 3D polymers showing aggregation-induced emission and polarization

An exceptional achiral and chiral multilayer 3D polymer has been created and controlled by uniform and distinct aromatic chromophore units that are multiply sandwiched by naphthyl berths. In order to put together this assembly, it was necessary to search for new catalytic Suzuki-Miyaura polycouplings among various catalytic systems, monomers, and catalysts. Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) was able to verify the presence of many framework layers. The resulting achiral and chiral polymers displayed notable optical characteristic.

Enantioselective synthesis of [1,1'-binaphthalene]-8,8'-diyl bis(diphenylphosphane) and its derivatives

Two 8,8' disubstituted binaphthyl ligands have been designed and synthesized in 3.1% and 11.4% overall yield, respectively. X-ray structure analysis demonstrated that a unique chiral microenvironment was created. With the assistance of a new aggregation-induced polarization (AIP) technology, chiral aggregates were determined as the fraction of polar solvent increased in the nonpolar/polar solvent system, which indicated their potential in modern asymmetric synthesis and catalysis.

Four-layer folding framework: design, GAP synthesis, and aggregation-induced emission

The design and synthesis of a type of [1 + 4 + 2] four-layer framework have been conducted by taking advantage of Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling and group-assisted purification (GAP) chemistry. The optimized coupling of double-layer diboronic esters with 1-bromo-naphth-2-yl phosphine oxides resulted in a series of multilayer folding targets, showing a broad scope of substrates and moderate to excellent yields. The final products were purified using group-assisted purification chemistry/technology, achieved simply by washing crude products with 95% EtOH without the use of chromatography and recrystallization. The structures were fully characterized and assigned by performing X-ray crystallographic analysis. UV-vis absorption, photoluminescence (PL), and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) were studied for the resulting multilayer folding products.

Catalytic Radical-Triggered Annulation/Iododifluoromethylation of Enynones for the Stereospecific Synthesis of 1-Indenones

A new Pd(II)-catalyzed annulation/iododifluoromethylation of enynones has been developed for the synthesis of versatile 1-indanones with moderate to good yields (26 examples). The present strategy enabled the concomitant incorporation of two important difluoroalkyl and iodo functionalities into 1-indenone skeletons with (E)-stereoselectivity. The mechanistic pathway was proposed, consisting of the difluoroalkyl radical-triggered α,β-conjugated addition/5-exo-dig cyclization/metal radical cross-coupling/reductive elimination cascade.

A new chiral phenomenon of orientational chirality, its synthetic control and computational study

A new type of chirality, orientational chirality, consisting of a tetrahedron center and a remotely anchored blocker, has been discovered. The key structural element of this chirality is characterized by multiple orientations directed by a through-space functional group. The multi-step synthesis of orientational chiral targets was conducted by taking advantage of asymmetric nucleophilic addition, Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling and Sonogashira coupling. An unprecedented catalytic species showing a five-membered ring consisting of C (sp²)-Br-Pd-C (sp²) bonds was isolated during performing Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the species structure and absolute configuration of chiral orientation products. Based on X-ray structures, a model was proposed for the new chirality phenomenon to differentiate the present molecular framework from previous others. DFT computational study presented the relative stability of individual orientatiomers. This discovery would be anticipated to result in a new stereochemistry branch and to have a broad impact on chemical, biomedical, and material sciences in the future.

Aggregation-induced polarization (AIP) of derivatives of BINOL and BINAP

The relationship between optical rotations of small chiral molecules with water% in THF has been established. The typical aggregation co-solvent systems resulted in optical rotation amplification and adjustment, defined as aggregation-induced polarization (AIP). The AIP work can serve as a new tool to determine molecular aggregation, especially for those that cannot display aggregation-induced emission (AIE). Therefore, AIP and AIE are anticipated to complement each other. In addition, AIP can also serve as a new transmission tool providing adjusting right- or left-hand polarized lights of a series of individual wavelengths. Since chiral phosphine derivatives are among the most important ligands, this work would benefit research using chiral aggregates to control asymmetric synthesis and catalysts. Therefore, it will find many applications in chemical and materials sciences.

Aggregation-Induced Polarization (AIP): Optical Rotation Amplification and Adjustment of Chiral Aggregates of Folding Oligomers and Polymers

The phenomenon of aggregation-induced polarization (AIP) was observed showing optical rotation amplification and adjustment. The relationship between optical rotations of chiral aggregates of multilayered chiral folding oligomers and polymers with water% in THF (f_w) has been established accordingly. New multilayered chiral oligomers were synthesized under the asymmetric catalytic systems established by our laboratory recently. These products were well-characterized by UV-vis, NMR, and MALDI-TOF spectra. Absolute stereochemistry (enantio- and diastereochemistry) was assigned by comparison with similar asymmetric induction by the same catalyst in our previous reactions. The present AIP work can serve as a new tool to determine chiral aggregates, especially for those that cannot display emission. AIP would also complement AIE-based CPL since AIP serves as a new tool providing enhanced right- or left-hand polarized lights with individual wavelengths. It will find many applications in chemical and materials science in the future.

Aggregation-Induced Synthesis (AIS): Asymmetric Synthesis via Chiral Aggregates

A new chiral aggregate-based tool for asymmetric synthesis has been developed by taking advantage of chiral aggregates of GAP (Group-Assisted Purification) reagents, N-phosphonyl imines. This tool was proven to be successful in the asymmetric GAP synthesis of functionalized 2,3-dihydrobenzofurans by reacting salicyl N-phosphonyl imines with dialkyl bromomalonates in various cosolvent systems. The chiral induction can be controlled by differentiating between two asymmetric directions simply by changing the ratios of cosolvents which are commonly adopted in AIE (aggregation-induced emission) systems. The formation of chiral aggregates was witnessed by a new analytical tool—aggregation-induced polarization (AIP). The present synthetic method will be broadly extended for general organic synthesis, particularly, for asymmetric synthesis and asymmetric catalysis in the future.

Ultrafast chiral peptides purification via surface plasmon enhanced spin selectivity

By D-arginine and L-arginine chiral peptides induced spin selectivity and Au NPs enhanced spin polarization, chiral peptides purification has been effectively simplified and the purification performance has raised from a mixture system. The angular momentums of light are operated by the polarizer and wave plates. Au NPs decorated ZnO nanorods electrodes are utilized to modulate the polarization of spintronic. Seed growth methods are for synthesizing spherical Au NPs. UV light reduction methods are for urchin-liked Au NPs. Au NPs are decorated on ZnO nanorods electrodes for rising photon to electron conversion efficiency and enhancing spin polarization rates by surface plasmon effect. From our results, photon to the electron conversion efficiency of ZnO nanorods electrodes has effectively enhanced by urchin-liked Au NPs decorating. Ultrahigh localized plasmon conversion efficiency as high as 60% was also obtained. Besides, density functional theory (DFT) calculations simulated the force on spintronic. Since the D-arginine and L-arginine are on Au substrate, DFT results demonstrate different angular momentum and spin polarization coupling. Along with urchin-liked Au NPs rising chiral induced spin polarization by surface plasmon resonance, the sensitivity of chiral arginine has been raised around 5000% from bare ZnO nanorods electrodes. The purification and separation time of a specific chiral arginine only needs 5 min.

From Center-to-Multilayer Chirality: Asymmetric Synthesis of Multilayer Targets with Electron-Rich Bridges

Asymmetric synthesis of new atropisomerically multilayered chiral targets has been achieved by taking advantage of the strategy of center-to-multilayer chirality and double Suzuki-Miyaura couplings. Diastereomers were readily separated via flash column chromatography and well characterized. Absolute configuration assignment was determined by X-ray structural analysis. Five enantiomerically pure isomers possessing multilayer chirality were assembled utilizing anchors involving electron-rich aromatic connections. An overall yield of 0.69% of the final target with hydroxyl attachment was achieved over 11 steps from commercially available starting materials.

Central-to-Folding Chirality Control: Asymmetric Synthesis of Multilayer 3D Targets With Electron-Deficient Bridges

New multilayer 3D chiral molecules have been designed and synthesized asymmetrically through the strategy of center-to-multilayer folding chirality control and double Suzuki couplings. Individual diastereoisomers were readily obtained and separated via flash column chromatography. The key diastereoisomer was further converted into corresponding enantiomers. These enantiomers possess electron-deficient aromatic bridges layered with top and bottom aromatic scaffolds. X-ray structural analysis has unambiguously confirmed the configuration, and intermolecular packing results in regular planar patterns in solid crystals. The synthesis was achieved in a total of ten steps starting from commercially available starting materials.

Asymmetric [4 + 2] cycloaddition synthesis of 4H-chromene derivatives facilitated by group-assisted-purification (GAP) chemistry

In this work, we present a strategy for the preparation of functionalized 4H-chromene derivatives via a Cs₂CO₃-catalyzed [4 + 2] cycloaddition of enantiopure chiral salicyl N-phosphonyl imines with allenoates. Fifteen examples were achieved in excellent yields and diastereoselectivity. The products were purified simply by washing the crude mixture with hexanes following the Group-Assisted Purification (GAP) chemistry/technology to bypass traditional separation methods. The absolute configuration was unambiguously determined by X-ray structure analysis.

A new asymmetric method for the synthesis of highly functionalized 4H-chromenes was developed via Group-Assisted Purification (GAP) chemistry and shown in good to high yield and excellent diastereoselectivity.

Regio- and Diastereoselective Vicinal Aminobromination of Electron Deficient Olefins via Phosphorus-Based GAP Protocol

Chemical synthesis based on Group-Assisted Purification chemistry (GAP) has been prolifically used as a powerful, greener and ecofriendly tool so far. Herein, we report hypervalent iodine (III) mediated regio- and diastereoselective aminobromination of electron-deficient olefins using group-assisted purification (GAP) method. By simply mixing the GAP auxiliary-anchored substrates with TsNH2-NBS as nitrogen/bromine sources and PhI(OAc)2 as a catalyst, a series of vicinal bromoamines with multifunctionalities were obtained in moderate to excellent yields (53-94%). The vicinal bromoamines were obtained without column chromatography and/or recrystallization simply by washing the crude mixtures with cosolvents and thus avoiding wastage of silica, solvents, time, and labor. The GAP auxiliary is recyclable and reusable.

Enantio- and Regioselective CuH-Catalyzed Conjugate Reduction of Yne-Allenones

A new asymmetric catalytic conjugate reduction of yne-allenones to synthesize enantioenriched cyclobuta[a]naphthalen-4(2H)-ones has been established that uses copper-bisphosphine complexes as catalysts and gives excellent regio- and enantioselectivities (≥99% ee) in most cases. This protocol tolerates a broad scope of substrates, exhibits high compatibility with various substituents, and gives excellent stereoselectivity, providing a catalytic and efficient entry to fabrication of synthetically important chiral 6-6-4 tricarbocyclic scaffolds.

Triple-Columned and Multiple-Layered 3D Polymers: Design, Synthesis, Aggregation-Induced Emission (AIE), and Computational Study

Conjugated polymers and oligomers have great potentials in various fields, especially in materials and biological sciences because of their intriguing electronic and optoelectronic properties. In recent years, the through-space conjugation system has emerged as a new assembled pattern of multidimensional polymers. Here, a novel series of structurally condensed multicolumn/multilayer 3D polymers and oligomers have been designed and synthesized through one-pot Suzuki polycondensation (SPC). The intramolecularly stacked arrangement of polymers can be supported by either X-ray structural analysis or computational analysis. In all cases, polymers were obtained with modest to good yields, as determined by GPC and ¹H-NMR. MALDI-TOF analysis has proven the speculation of the step-growth process of this polymerization. The computational study of ab initio and DFT calculations based on trimer and pentamer models gives details of the structures and the electronic transition. Experimental results of optical and AIE research confirmed by calculation indicates that the present work would facilitate the research and applications in materials.

New Perspectives to Trigger and Modulate Circularly Polarized Luminescence of Complex and Aggregated Systems: Energy Transfer, Photon Upconversion, Charge Transfer, and Organic Radical

Chiral functional materials with circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) have risen rapidly in recent years because of their fascinating characteristics and potential applications in various research fields. CPL refers to the differential spontaneous emission of left (L)- and right (R)-handed circularly polarized light upon photon or electron excitation. Generally, an outstanding CPL-active material needs to possess a high luminescence dissymmetry factor (g_lum) (defined as 2(I_L - I_R)/(I_L + I_R) where I is the emission intensity), which is between -2 and +2. Although the exciting development in CPL-active materials was achieved, the modulation of CPL signs is still a challenge. For small organic systems, a relatively small g_lum value, one of the key parameters of CPL, limits their practical applications. Searching for efficient approaches for amplifying g_lum is important. Therefore, over the past decades, besides optimizing the structure of small molecules, many other strategies to obtain efficient CPL-active materials have been developed. For instance, self-assembly has been well demonstrated as an effective approach to amplify the supramolecular chirality as well as the g_lum values. On the other hand, chiral liquid crystals (CLCs), which are capable of selective reflection of left- and right-handed circularly polarized light, also to serve as a host matrix for endowing guest emitters with CPL activity and high g_lum values. However, self-assembly focuses on modulating the conformation and spatial arrangement of chiral emitters. And the CPL of a luminophore-doped CLC matrix depends on the helix pitch and band gap positions. Lately, novel photophysical approaches to modulate CPL signs have gradually emerged.In this Account, we discuss the recent progress of excited-state-regulation involved CPL-active materials. The emergence, amplification, and inversion of CPL can be adjusted through regulation of the excited state of chiral emitters. For example, Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) can amplify the g_lum values of chiral energy acceptors in chiral supramolecular assemblies. By combining the concepts of photon upconversion and CPL, high-energy upconverted circularly polarized emission was achieved under excitation of low-energy light, accompanied by an amplified g_lum. In addition, the organic systems with unpaired electrons, i.e., charge transfer (CT) system and open-shell π-radical, show favorable CPL properties, which can be flexibly tuned with an applied magnetic field. It should be noted that these photophysical process are associated with the excited state of chiral emitters. So far, while the main focus is on the regulation of the molecular and supramolecular nanostructures, direct regulation of the excited state of the chiral system will serve as a new platform to understand and regulate the CPL activity and will be helpful to develop smart chiroptical materials.

Enantioselective assembly of multi-layer 3D chirality

The first enantioselective assembly of sandwich-shaped organo molecules has been achieved by conducting dual asymmetric Suzuki-Miyaura couplings and nine other reactions. This work also presents the first fully C-C anchored multi-layer 3D chirality with optically pure enantiomers. As confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis that this chiral framework is featured by a unique C2 -symmetry in which a nearly parallel fashion consisting of three layers: top, middle and bottom aromatic rings. Unlike the documented planar or axial chirality, the present chirality shows its top and bottom layers restrict each other from free rotation, i.e., this multi-layer 3D chirality would not exist if either top or bottom layer is removed. Nearly all multi-layered compounds showed strong luminescence of different colors under UV irradiation, and several randomly selected samples displayed aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties. This work is believed to have broad impacts on chemical, medicinal and material sciences including optoelectronic materials in future.