A Traceless Chiral Shift Reagent Based on Nonbonding Interactions with Single-Handed Helical Poly(quinoxaline-2,3-diyl).

A single-handed poly(quinoxaline-2,3-diyl) (PQX) has been found to serve as a new type of chiral shift reagent (CSR) for determining the enantiomeric ratio by NMR spectroscopy. Even though there is no specific binding site in the PQX, its nonbonding interaction with chiral analytes leads to a significant shift of the NMR chemical shift, allowing quantification of the enantiomeric ratio. The new type of CSR has the advantages of a wide scope of analytes including ethers, haloalkanes, and alkanes, easy tunability of the degree of chemical shifts by measurement temperature, and erasability of proton signals of CSR because of the short spin-spin (T2 ) relaxation of the macromolecular scaffold.

Enantioconvergent Cu-Catalyzed Intramolecular C-C Coupling at Boron-Bound C(sp3) Atoms of α-Aminoalkylboronates Using a C1-Symmetrical 2,2'-Bipyridyl Ligand Attached to a Helically Chiral Macromolecular Scaffold.

Enantioconvergent intramolecular coupling of α-(2-bromobenzoylamino)benzylboronic esters was achieved using a copper catalyst having helically chiral macromolecular bipyridyl ligand, PQXbpy. Racemic α-(2-bromobenzoylamino)benzylboronic esters were converted into (R)-configured 3-arylisoindolinones with high enantiopurity using right-handed helical PQXbpy as a chiral ligand in a toluene/CHCl3 mixed solvent. When enantiopure (R)- and (S)-configured boronates were separately reacted under the same reaction conditions, both afforded (R)-configured products through formal stereoinvertive and stereoretentive processes, respectively. From these results, a mechanism involving deracemization of organocopper intermediates in the presence of PQXbpy is assumed. PQXbpy switched its helical sense to left-handed when a toluene/1,1,2-trichloroethane mixed solvent was used, resulting in the formation of the corresponding (S)-products from the racemic starting material.

Stereoinvertive C-C Bond Formation at the Boron-Bound Stereogenic Centers through Copper-Bipyridine-Catalyzed Intramolecular Coupling of α-Aminobenzylboronic Esters.

Enantiospecific intramolecular Suzuki-Miyaura-type coupling with α-(2-halobenzoylamino)benzylboronic esters to give 3-substituted isoindolinones is achieved by using copper catalysts with 2,2'-bipyridine-based achiral ligands. Enantioenriched α-aminobenzylboron reactants bearing a hydrogen atom at the boron-bound stereogenic carbons undergo stereoinvertive coupling in the presence of a 6-phenyl-2,2'-bipyridine ligand with high enantiospecificity. α-Aminobenzylboronates bearing fully substituted boron-bound stereogenic centers also gave the 3,3-disubstituted isoindolinones with stereospecific stereochemical inversion in the presence of simple 2,2'-bipyridine as a ligand.

Chirality-Amplifying, Dynamic Induction of Single-Handed Helix by Chiral Guests to Macromolecular Chiral Catalysts Bearing Boronyl Pendants as Receptor Sites.

Helical chirality of poly(quinoxaline-2,3-diyl)s bearing a boronyl pendant at the 5-position of the quinoxaline ring was induced by condensation with chiral guests such as a diol, diamine, and amino alcohol. Reversible induction of a single-handed helical structure was achieved by using less than an equimolar amount of chiral amino alcohols to the boronyl pendants. Majority-rule-effect-based chiral amplification on the polyquinoxaline main chain was demonstrated with chiral amino alcohols with low enantiomeric excess (ee). The helical macromolecular scaffold whose helicity was thus induced was utilized in palladium-catalyzed asymmetric silaboration of meso-methylenecyclopropane (up to 92% ee) by introducing (diarylphosphino)phenyl pendants at their side chains.

Elucidating the Solvent Effect on the Switch of the Helicity of Poly(quinoxaline-2,3-diyl)s: A Conformational Analysis by Small-Angle Neutron Scattering.

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) was used to examine dilute solutions of a poly(quinoxaline-2,3-diyl) (PQX) with (R)-2-octyloxymethyl side chains in deuterated THF or a mixture of deuterated 1,1,2-TCE and THF (8/2, v/v), in which the PQX adopts pure P- and M-helical structures. The structures of the PQX that were obtained based on the SANS experiments in combination with theoretical calculations suggest that in THF, the chiral side chains of the P-helical PQX are extended, whereas in the 1,1,2-TCE/THF mixture, the side chains of the M-helical PQX are folded. Consequently, P-helical structures should be preferred in good solvents such as THF, which solvate the extended side chains, whereas M-helical structures should be preferred in poor solvents such as 1,1,2-TCE, wherein the side chains adopt shrunken conformations with maximized van der Waals interactions between the side chains. This study thus reveals the first example for fully determined nuanced conformations of the side chains of synthetic polymers in solution based on SANS experiments and theoretical calculations.

Single-Handed Helical Poly(quinoxaline-2,3-diyl)s Bearing Achiral 4-Aminopyrid-3-yl Pendants as Highly Enantioselective, Reusable Chiral Nucleophilic Organocatalysts in the Steglich Reaction.

Helically chiral poly(quinoxaline-2,3-diyl)s bearing 4-aminopyrid-3-yl pendants were synthesized as new helical-polymer-based chiral nucleophilic organocatalysts. The obtained chiral nucleophilic polymer catalysts exhibited high catalytic activity, enantioselectivity, and reusability in asymmetric Steglich rearrangement of oxazolyl carbonate to C-carboxyazlactone. The polyquinoxaline-based, helically chiral DMAP catalyst mediated intramolecular acyl transfer selectively, by contrast with known small-molecule-based chiral organocatalysts, which also mediate intermolecular acyl transfers.

Utilization of a Trimethylsilyl Group as a Synthetic Equivalent of a Hydroxyl Group via Chemoselective C(sp3)-H Borylation at the Methyl Group on Silicon.

A conversion of trimethylsilylalkanes into the corresponding alcohols is established based on an iridium-catalyzed, chemoselective C(sp3)-H borylation of the methyl group on silicon. The (borylmethyl)silyl group formed by C(sp3)-H borylation is treated with H2O2/NaOH, and the resulting (hydroxymethyl)silyl group is converted into a hydroxyl group by Brook rearrangement, followed by oxidation of the resulting methoxysilyl group under Tamao conditions. An alternative route proceeding through the formylsilyl group formed from a (hydroxymethyl)silyl group by Swern oxidation is also established. The method is applicable to substituted trimethylsilylcycloalkanes and 1,1-dimethyl-1-silacyclopentane for conversion into the corresponding stereodefined cycloalkyl alcohols and 1,4-butanediol.

Asymmetric Cycloisomerization of o-Alkenyl-N-Methylanilines to Indolines by Iridium-Catalyzed C(sp3 )-H Addition to Carbon-Carbon Double Bonds.

Highly enantioselective cycloisomerization of N-methylanilines, bearing o-alkenyl groups, into indolines is established. An iridium catalyst bearing a bidentate chiral diphosphine effectively promotes the intramolecular addition of the C(sp3 )-H bond across a carbon-carbon double bond in a highly enantioselective fashion. The reaction gives indolines bearing a quaternary stereogenic carbon center at the 3-position. The reaction mechanism involves rate-determining oxidative addition of the N-methyl C-H bond, followed by intramolecular carboiridation and subsequent reductive elimination.

Iridium-Catalyzed Intramolecular Methoxy C-H Addition to Carbon-Carbon Triple Bonds: Direct Synthesis of 3-Substituted Benzofurans from o-Methoxyphenylalkynes.

Catalytic hydroalkylation of an alkyne with methyl ether was accomplished. Intramolecular addition of the C-H bond of a methoxy group in 1-methoxy-2-(arylethynyl)benzenes across a carbon-carbon triple bond took place efficiently either in toluene at 110 °C or in p-xylene at 135 °C in the presence of an iridium catalyst. The initial 5-exo cyclization products underwent double-bond migration during the reaction to give 3-(arylmethyl)benzofurans in high yields.

Three-Way-Switchable (Right/Left/OFF) Selective Reflection of Circularly Polarized Light on Solid Thin Films of Helical Polymer Blends.

Two poly(quinoxaline-2,3-diyl) copolymers bearing miscibility-enhancing 8-chlorooctyloxy and (S)-2-methylbutoxy or n-butoxy side chains were synthesized. After annealing in CHCl3 vapor, a polymer-blend film of these copolymers exhibited selective reflection of right-handed circularly polarized light (CPL) in the visible region. The handedness of the CPL reflected was completely inverted upon annealing of the film in THF vapor. Annealing in n-hexane vapor resulted in the phase separation of the polymer blend, which turned the selective reflection off. This three-way-switchable reflection, that is, reflection of right-handed or left-handed CPL, together with an OFF state, could be observed visually through right- and left-handed CPL filters.

Organocatalytic diboration involving "reductive addition" of a boron-boron σ-bond to 4,4'-bipyridine.

A 4,4'-bipyridine-based catalyst system for diboration of pyrazine derivatives was established. The catalyst cycle consists of the following two steps: (1) reductive addition of the boron-boron bond of bis(pinacolato)diboron to 4,4'-bipyridine to form N,N'-diboryl-4,4'-bipyridinylidene and (2) oxidative boryl transfer from the intermediate to pyrazine to give N,N'-diboryl-1,4-dihydropyrazine with regeneration of 4,4'-bipyridine.

Exerting control over the helical chirality in the main chain of sergeants-and-soldiers-type poly(quinoxaline-2,3-diyl)s by changing from random to block copolymerization protocols.

Chiral random poly(quinoxaline-2,3-diyl) polymers of the sergeants-and-soldiers-type (sergeant units bearing (S)-3-octyloxymethyl groups) adopt an M- or P-helical conformation in the presence of achiral units bearing propoxymethyl or butoxy groups (soldier units), respectively. Unusual bidirectional induction of the helical sense can be observed for a copolymer with butoxy soldier units upon changing the mole fraction of the sergeant units. In the presence of 16-20% of sergeant units, the selective induction of a P-helix was observed, while the selective induction of an M-helix was observed for a mole fraction of sergeant units of more than 60%. This phenomenon could be successfully employed to control the helical chirality of copolymers by applying either random or block copolymerization protocols. Random or block copolymerization of sergeant and soldier monomers in a 18:82 ratio resulted in the formation of 250mers with almost absolute P- or M-helical conformation, respectively (>99% ee). Incorporation of a small amount of coordination sites into the random and block copolymers resulted in chiral macromolecular ligands, which allowed the enantioselective synthesis of both enantiomers in the Pd-catalyzed asymmetric hydrosilylation of ß-methylstyrene.

Majority-Rules-Type Helical Poly(quinoxaline-2,3-diyl)s as Highly Efficient Chirality-Amplification Systems for Asymmetric Catalysis.

A highly efficient majority-rules effect of poly(quinoxaline-2,3-diyl)s (PQXs) bearing 2-butoxymethyl chiral side chains at the 6- and 7-positions was established and attributed to large ΔG(h) values (0.22-0.41 kJ mol(-1)), which are defined as the energy difference between P- and M-helical conformations per chiral unit. A PQX copolymer prepared from a monomer derived from (R)-2-octanol (23% ee) and a monomer bearing a PPh2 group adopted a single-handed helical structure (>99%) and could be used as a highly enantioselective chiral ligand in palladium-catalyzed asymmetric reactions (products formed with up to 94% ee), in which the enantioselectivity could be switched by solvent-dependent inversion of the helical PQX backbone.

Solid polymer films exhibiting handedness-switchable, full-color-tunable selective reflection of circularly polarized light.

Poly(quinoxaline-2,3-diyl)s bearing (S)-2-methylbutyl, n-butyl, and 8-chlorooctyl groups as side chains were synthesized to fabricate dry solid polymer thin films. These films exhibited selective reflection of right-handed circular polarized light (CPL) in the visible region after annealing in CHCl3 vapor at room temperature. The handedness of reflected CPL was inverted to the left after annealing in 1,2-dichloroethane vapor. It was also found that the color of a particular single film along with the handedness of reflected CPL were fully tuned reversibly, upon exposure of the film to the vapor of various mixtures of chloroform and 1,2-dichloroethane in different ratios.

Poly(quinoxaline-2,3-diyl)s bearing (S)-3-octyloxymethyl side chains as an efficient amplifier of alkane solvent effect leading to switch of main-chain helical chirality.

Poly(quinoxaline-2,3-diyl) containing (S)-3-octyloxymethyl side chains was synthesized to investigate the induction of a single-handed helical sense to the main chain in various alkane solvents. The polymer showed an efficient solvent dependent helix inversion between n-octane (M-helix) and cyclooctane (P-helix). After a screening of alkane solvents, it was found that linear alkanes having large molecular aspect ratios induced M-helical structure, and branched or cyclic alkanes having small molecular aspect ratios induced P-helical structure. A polymer ligand containing (S)-3-octyloxymethyl side chains and diphenylphosphino pendants also exhibited solvent-dependent helical inversion between n-octane and cyclooctane, leading to the highly enantioselective production of the both enantiomeric product in a palladium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrosilylation reaction of styrene (R-product 94% ee in n-octane and S-product 90% ee in cyclooctane).

Chiral palladacycle catalysts generated on a single-handed helical polymer skeleton for asymmetric arylative ring opening of 1,4-epoxy-1,4-dihydronaphthalene.

Post-polymerization CH activation of poly(quinoxaline-2,3-diyl)-based helically chiral phosphine ligands (PQXphos) with palladium(II) acetate afforded chiral phosphapalladacycles quantitatively. In situ generated palladacycles exhibited enantioselectivities up to 94 % ee in the palladium-catalyzed asymmetric ring-opening arylation of 1,4-epoxy-1,4-dihydronaphthalenes with arylboronic acids.

Solvent-dependent switch of helical main-chain chirality in sergeants-and-soldiers-type poly(quinoxaline-2,3-diyl)s: effect of the position and structures of the "sergeant" chiral units on the screw-sense induction.

Poly(quinoxaline-2,3-diyl) copolymers bearing various "sergeant" chiral units with common "soldier" achiral units have been synthesized to investigate the efficiency of screw-sense induction and its dependence on the nature of the solvents. Optically active 2-alkoxymethyl side chains located at the 6- and 7-positions of the quinoxaline ring induced a single-handed helical conformation more efficiently than 3-methylpentyl or 2-methylbutoxy chiral side chains. Among the 2-alkoxymethyl side chains, those bearing higher 2-alkoxy groups induced a single-handed screw sense more efficiently. For instance, a monomer unit bearing (R)-2-octyloxymethyl groups stabilized the P-helix by 1.01 kJ/mol, whereas the monomer bearing (S)-2-butoxymethyl groups stabilized the M-helix by 0.59 kJ/mol. The effect of the position of the sergeant units in the polymer main chain on the screw-sense induction was also investigated using copolymers in which the positions of the sergeant units were carefully controlled by their synthesis via living polymerization. Chiral units placed sparsely could induce single-handed helical structure efficiently. Chiral units bearing 2-alkoxymethyl, 3-methylpentyl, and 2-methylbutoxy groups showed solvent-dependent helix inversion in CHCl3 and 1,1,2-trichloroethane. No helix inversion was observed in those solvents with chiral units bearing 2-butoxy or (2-methylbutoxy)methyl side chains. The 40-mer of the (R)-2-octyloxymethyl units showed P-helical structures in THF, t-BuOMe, and c-C5H11OMe, toluene, pyridine, Et3N, 1-BuOH, CHCl3, CH2Cl2, 1,4-dichlorobutane, 1,1,-dichloroethane, and 1,1,1-trichloroethane, whereas M-helical structures were induced in 1-BuCN, 1-PrCN, 1,2-dichloroethane, 1,3-dichloropropane, and 2-BuOH.

Catalytic functionalization of methyl group on silicon: iridium-catalyzed C(sp3)-H borylation of methylchlorosilanes.

A methyl group of methylchlorosilanes undergoes C-H borylation in an iridium-catalyzed reaction with bis(pinacolato)diboron in cyclohexane at 80 °C, giving (borylmethyl)chlorosilanes selectively.

Regioselective synthesis of 1,2-dihydropyridines by rhodium-catalyzed hydroboration of pyridines.

Pyridine undergoes addition of pinacolborane at 50 °C in the presence of a rhodium catalyst, giving N-boryl-1,2-dihydropyridine in a high yield. The selective 1,2-hydroboration also takes place in the reactions of substituted pyridines. In the reaction of 3-substituted pyridines, 3-substituted N-boryl-1,2-dihydropyridines are formed regioselectively.

Enhanced catalyst activity and enantioselectivity with chirality-switchable polymer ligand PQXphos in Pd-catalyzed asymmetric silaborative cleavage of meso-methylenecyclopropanes.

The poly(quinoxaline-2,3-diyl)-based helically chiral phosphine ligands PQXphos exhibited high enantioselectivities up to 97% ee in palladium-catalyzed desymmetrization of meso-1,2-dialkylsubstituted-3-methylenecyclopropanes through silaborative cleavage of the C-C bond. The observed enantioselectivities were higher than those obtained with 2-diarylphosphino-1,1'-binaphthyl in our original report. Remarkable rate enhancement was also observed with a series of PQXphos in comparison with the corresponding low-molecular weight ligands.