Chiral molecules absolute configuration

Absolute configuration (Section 9.5) The exact three-dimensional structure of a chiral molecule. Absolute configurations are specified verbally by the Cahn-Ingold-Prelog R,S convention and are represented on paper by Fischer projections. 

A very useful source on various NMR techniques and chemical shifts of functionalized carbon atoms that contains tabulated data on monosaccharides is Reference [23]. Specifically correlating functional groups with chemical shifts of protons and the associated carbon is an important tool for elucidating the stmcture of the monosaccharide moiety of many complex oligosaccharides. Since monosaccharides contain one or more chiral centers, absolute configuration must be known in order to predict the conformational shape of the molecules. The outcome of many stereoselective functionalizations of free and partially functionalized monosaccharides depends on conformation. 

The concept of chirality and absolute configuration is introduced early in undergraduate organic courses. A brief review of elementary concepts will be discussed for simple problems and then applied to larger and more complex molecules in later chapters. This section is intended as a review, and it is assumed the reader has some familiarity with the concepts. 

The R, S convention is a scheme which has largely superseded the D, i. system to denote configuration about a chiral centre in a molecule. The convention allows unequivocal designation of the absolute configuration in a description of the positions in space of ligands attached to a chiral centre, in relation to an agreed standard of chirality like a right-hand helix. 

Techniques for determining the absolute configuration of chiral molecules were not developed until the 1950s and so it was not possible for Eischer and his contemporaries to relate the sign of rotation of any substance to its absolute configuration A system evolved based on the arbitrary assumption later shown to be correct that the enantiomers... 

Nitrogen chirality may also be produced by the action of an achiral peroxyacid on a Schiff base containing a chiral amine (75JOC3878). In this case the oxaziridine contains a configurationally known centre of chirality relative to this, absolute configurations of the centres of chirality at nitrogen and carbon, and thus the complete absolute configuration of the molecule, can be determined (see Section 5.08.2.2). 

The presence of asymmetric C atoms in a molecule may, of course, be indicated by diastereotopic shifts and absolute configurations may, as already shown, be determined empirically by comparison of diastereotopic shifts However, enantiomers are not differentiated in the NMR spectrum. The spectrum gives no indication as to whether a chiral compound exists in a racemic form or as a pure enantiomer. 

Fischer projection (Section 25.2) A means of depicting the absolute configuration of a chiral molecule on a flat page. A Fischer projection uses a cross to represent the chirality center. The horizontal arms of the cross represent bonds coming out of the plane of the page, and the vertical arms of the cross represent bonds going back into the plane of the page. 

Mason and coworkers10 studied the chiral bicyclic derivatives 2, 3, 33 and 34, having known absolute configuration. These molecules possess a planar s-cis diene chromophore and formally their chirality is due to the presence of the D or CH3 substituents, which rule out all the symmetry planes. However, it is interesting to point out a peculiar structural... 

Addadi, L., A Link Between Macroscopic Phenomena and Molecular Chirality, Crystals as Probes for the Direct Assignment of Absolute Configuration of Chiral Molecules, 16, 1. 

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