Enantioselective dimerization thiocoumarins

The steric course of the photodimerization reactions of coumarin (37a) and thiocoumarin (37b) succeeded in being controlled almost perfectly by carrying out the reaction in inclusion complexes using various host compounds. Furthermore, enantioselective dimerization reactions of 37a and 37b were found to proceed through a single-crystal to single-crystal process. 

Toda et al. reported that the topotactic and enantioselective photodimerization of coumarin and thiocoumarin takes place in single crystals without significant molecular rearrangements [49]. Molecular motion needs to be called upon to explain the photochemically activated cycloaddition reaction of 2-benzyl-5-benzylidenecyclopentanone. The dimer molecules, once formed, move smoothly in the reactant crystal to form the product crystal [50]. Harris et al. investigated the reactivity of 10-hydroxy-10,9-boroxophenanthrene in the solid state and the mechanism of the solid-state reaction was characterized by both X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis [51]. It was demonstrated that the solution chemistry of 10-hydroxy-10,9-boroxophenanthrene is different from that in the solid state, where it undergoes dimerization and dehydration to form a monohydride derivative. 

The enantioselective photodimerization of thiocoumarin (102) to optically pure (+)-a ft -head-to-head dimer (103) in the 1 1 inclusion complex of 102 with 12b was also found to proceed in a single-crystal to single-crystal manner. For example, when a mixture of thiocoumarin (102) and optically active host compound 12b in butyl ether was kept at room temperature for 12 hr, a 1 1 inclusion complex of 103 with 12b was obtained as colorless needles. Photoirradiation of a 1 1 inclusion complex in the solid state (400-W high-pressure Hg lamp, Pyrex filter, room temperature, 2 hr) gave a 2 1 complex of 12b with 103,... 

The [2-1-2]-cycloaddition reactions in inclusion crystals, or host-guest crystals, have been thoroughly reviewed. Coumarin 61a, thiocoumarin 61b, and cyclohex-2-enone 62 efficiently undergo single-crystal-to-single-crystal enantioselective photodimerization in inclusion complexes with chiral host compounds (R,R)-(-)-fra s 63a, (R,R)- -)-trans 63b, and (-)-64, respectively. The products are (-)-anri-HH 65a (100% EE), +)-anti-HH 65b (100% EE), and -)-syn-trans 66 (48% EE) dimers. An example for enantioselective intramolecular [2+2]-photocycloadditions in inclusion crystals is the reaction of guest 67 in chiral host 68. Irradiation of the powdered inclusion crystals in water suspension affords the optically active photocyclization product 69 with 100% EE in 90% yield. 

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