Through space asymmetric induction

PHTP is a chiral host which can be resolved into enantiomers DCA and ACA are (or derive from) naturally occurring optically active compounds. Using these hosts inclusion polymerization can be performed in a chiral environment and can be used for the synthesis of optically active polymers. This line of research has been very fruitful, both on the synthetic and on the theoretical plane. It has been ascertained that asymmetric inclusion polymerization occurs by a "through space" and not by a "through bond" induction only steric host-guest interactions (physical in nature) and not conventional chemical bonds are responsible for the transmission of chirality (W). 

There are several alternative methods for the synthesis of optically active polymers from achiral or racemic monomers that do not involve polymerization catalysts. Optically active polymers have been formed from achiral dienes immobilized in a chiral host lattices [ 106]. In these reactions, the chiral matrix serves as a catalyst and can be recovered following the reaction. For example, 1,3-penta-dienes have been polymerized in perhydrotriphenylene and apochoUc acid hosts, where asymmetric induction occurs via through-space interactions between the chiral host and the monomer [107,108]. The resultant polymers are optically active, and the optical purities of the ozonolysis products are as high as 36%. In addition, achiral monomers have been found to pack in chiral crystals with the orientations necessary for topochemical soHd-state polymerization [109]. In these reactions, the scientist is the enantioselective catalyst who separates the enantiomeric crystals. The oligomers, formed by a [27H-27i] asymmetric photopolymerization, can be obtained in the enantiomeric pure form [110]. 

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