Chiral compounds activation, enantioselective

Epoxides that have meso structures can be converted to optically active chiral compounds via enantioselective ring opening (Scheme 125). 

As already mentioned, the most important industrial application of homogeneous hydrogenation catalysts is for the enantioselective synthesis of chiral compounds. Today, not only pharmaceuticals and vitamins [3], agrochemicals [4], flavors and fragrances [5] but also functional materials [6, 7] are increasingly produced as enantiomerically pure compounds. The reason for this development is the often superior performance of the pure enantiomers and/or that regulations demand the evaluation of both enantiomers of a biologically active compound before its approval. This trend has made the economical enantioselective synthesis of chiral performance chemicals a very important topic. 

Homogeneous enantioselective hydrogenation constitutes one of the most versatile and effective methods to convert prochiral substrates to valuable optically active products. Recent progress makes it possible to synthesize a variety of chiral compounds with outstanding levels of efficiency and enantioselectivity through the reduction of the C=C, C=N, and C=0 bonds. The asymmetric hydrogenation of functionalized C=C bonds, such as enamide substrates, provides access to various valuable products such as amino acids, pharmaceuticals, and... 

Nickel and other transition metal catalysts, when modified with a chiral compound such as (R,R)-tartaric acid 5S), become enantioselective. All attempts to modify solid surfaces with optically active substances have so far resulted in catalysts of only low stereoselectivity. This is due to the fact that too many active centers of different structures are present on the surface of the catalysts. Consequently, in asymmetric hydrogenations the technique of homogeneous catalysis is superior to heterogeneous catalysis56). However, some carbonyl compounds have been hydrogenated in the presence of tartaric-acid-supported nickel catalysts in up to 92% optical purity55 . 

It has also been reported from circular dichroism (CD) studies [36] that polysaccharide-based CSPs can induce chirality in enantiomeric guests such as (4Z,15Z)-bilirubin-Ixoc (BR) (Fig. 5). Although not optically active, BR has two enantiomeric helical conformations maintained by six intramolecular hydrogen bonds between two carboxylic acid moieties and two pyrromethenone — NH— protons. These (R)- and (5)-helical conformers are in dynamic equilibrium in an achiral solution [37], but some optically active compounds can enantioselectively bind to BR to induce CD spectra in solution [38-40]. A significant induced CD... 

A wide range of fluorinated compounds are applied as pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Several stereoselective methods are used for synthesis of optically active molecules bearing a C-F bond at the stereogenic carbon atom [72, 73]. These are mainly based on diastereoselective fluorination of chiral molecules or enantioselective alkylation of fluoroorganic compounds. Asymmetric introduction of a fluorine... 

The chemical and more importantly biological activity of any chiral substance depends on its stereochemistry. That is why the design, synthesis, and structure-activity relationships of enantioselective receptors are still very vital areas of research. Chiral synthetic ligands are supposed to open new possibilities in enantioselective catalysis and enantioseparations of racemic chiral compounds, they can be active in different parts of membrane transport and, finally, they can help us in understanding many vital processes in the biological world. 

A subfield in this area is using SCFs to control the stereoselectivity of biologically active chiral compounds. For example, supercritical CO2 has been used to do the lipase-catalyzed enantioselective esterification of ibuprofen. Enantiomeric purities exceeding 90% at an ibuprofen conversion of 25% have been reported [20]. 

As we have seen, the Diels-Alder reaction can be both stereoselective and regioselective. In some cases, the Diels-Alder reaction can be made enantioselective Solvent effects are important in such reactions. The role of reactant polarity on the course of the reaction has been examined. Most enantioselective Diels-Alder reactions have used a chiral dienophile (e.g., 199) and an achiral diene,along with a Lewis acid catalyst (see below). In such cases, addition of the diene to the two faces of 199 takes place at different rates, and 200 and 201 are formed in different amounts. An achiral compound A can be converted to a chiral compound by a chemical reaction with a compound B that is enantiopure. After the reaction, the resulting diastereomers can be separated, providing enantiopure compounds, each with a bond between molecule A and chiral compound B (a chiral auxiliary). Common chiral auxiliaries include chiral carboxylic acids, alcohols, or sultams. In the case illustrated, hydrolysis of the product removes the chiral R group, making it a chiral auxiliary in this reaction. Asymmetric Diels-Alder reactions have also been carried out with achiral dienes and dienophiles, but with an optically active catalyst. Many chiral catalysts... 

---