Optical activity helical conformation

Similarly, use of the chiral anionic initiator (+) or (—) potassium menthoxide with the same masked disilene afforded a polysilane with a PSS helical conformation. Optically active polysilanes are discussed further in Section 3.11.6. 

It is possible that the helicity is a result of the chiral substitution itself and that the polymers with achiral substituents have, in fact, all-anti conformations. While this possibility cannot be directly ruled out, comparison of the spectroscopic data for the polymers with chiral substituents and achiral substituents, for example, 47 and 48, respectively, indicates similar main-chain dihedral angles, since the UV absorption maxima are so similar. Both polymers should therefore be latent helical, that is, contain segments of opposite screw sense separated by strong kinks (helix reversal points), with the difference being that in the case of 47 the overall numbers of P and M turns are equal, whereas for 48, one of the screw senses predominates, resulting in net helicity and optical activity. 

Several biopolymers and synthetic optically active polymers are known to exhibit an inversion of helicity (helix-helix transition) between right- and left-handed helical conformations when changing the external conditions, such as solvent, temperature, or by light irradiation. However, switching of the macromolecular helicity by chiral stimuli is rare, and can be used to sense the chirality of specific chiral guests. The helicity of optically active helical poly(phenylacetylene)s 67-69 can be switched by external chiral and achiral stimuli [123-126]. The first example of such a helix inversion induced by... 

Isotactic macromolecules derived from achiral monomers have no preference for right- or left-handed screw senses, and the two are perfectly balanc at inter-and intramolecular level. However, distribution of left- and right-handed helical secondary structures affects markedly the free energy of the system, alternation of the two senses in the same chain being favored for entropic reasons [4,5]. If this last situation takes place, conformational optical activity cannot be obtained... 

Polyisocyanates have attracted much attention owing to their liquid crystalline properties, stiff-chain solution characteristics, and induced optical activities associated with helical chain conformation (Scheme 8). Pattern and Novak [39]... 

Polyacetylenes are the most important class of synthetic polymers containing conjugated carbon-carbon double bonds. Some optically active monomers have been used with the following conclusions. Polymers of 1-alkynes having a branched side-chain assume in solution a helical conformation. A chiral side-chain induces a predominant screw sense in these helices. In particular, for alkyl branching, it has been shown that (S) monomers lead to a left-handed screw sense. 

This knowledge and understanding may be helpful to characterize local conformations of other optically active polysilanes in solution. For example, poly(methyl-(-)-(3-pinanylsilane) [(+)-7 Mw = 10,200] prepared by Shinohara and co-workers.281 showed a bisignate CD band at 280 and 303 nm, associated with a broad UV absorption at 300 nm in chloroform at 15°C. Since the spectroscopic features are quite similar to those of i,28d-28e it is possible that the main chain in 7 may contain diastereomeric helical motifs with opposite screw senses and different screw pitches. 

Incorporation of the (.S )-2-mcthyloctoxy group afforded optically active polymers with preferential helical screw sense (see Section 3.11.6.1). The observed helicity was corroborated by force field calculations, which indicated similar helical conformations for both dialkoxy- and dialkyl-substituted polymers. Based on their similar conformational properties, it was suggested that the origin of the spectral red shift was electronic, due to a a-n mixing interaction, as for polymers 76 above, rather than conformational. 

Recently, the first example of chiral solvation of a polysilane was demonstrated dissolution of the inherently optically inactive poly(methylphenylsilyene), PMPS, and poly(hexylmethylsilylene), PHMS, in the optically active solvents (V)-2-methyl-l-propoxybutane and (V)-(2-methylbutoxymethyl)benzene induced the polymer chains to adopt PSS helical conformations as evidenced by (positive-signed) Cotton effects almost coincident with the UV a-a transition at 340 and 305 nm, respectively.332... 

Another interesting chiral chain end effect is exhibited by the helical polymer block co-polymer, poly(l,l-dimethyl-2,2-di-/z-hexylsilylene)- -poly(triphenylmethyl methacrylate), reported by Sanji and Sakurai (see Scheme 7) and prepared by the anionic polymerization of a masked disilene.333 The helical poly(triphenylmethyl methacrylate) block (PTrMA) is reported to induce a PSS of the same sign in the poly(di- -propylsilylene) block in THF below — 20 °C, and also in the solid state, by helicity transfer, as evidenced by the positive Cotton effect at 340 nm, coincident with a fairly narrow polysilane backbone UV absorption characteristic of an all-transoid-conformation. This phenomenon was termed helical programming. Above 20°C, the polysilane block loses its optical activity and the UV absorption shifts to 310 nm in a reversible, temperature-dependent effect, due to the disordering of the chain, as shown in Figure 45. 

Cobalt(lll).—Complexes. Ammine complexes. Optical activity can be induced in the complexes [Co(NH3) ] and [Cofenlj] by means of outer-sphere association with chiral anions, e.g. (- - )-tartrate. Circular dichroism is observed in the d-d bands of the cations and it is suggested that this is due to (a) direct interaction between the chiral anion and the metal f/-orbitals and (b) the preferred conformation adopted by the inner-sphere ligands in the presence of a helical outer-sphere ligand. 

Me has described the use of an optically active tripodal amine, (25, 65)-2,6-bis(o-hydroxyphenyl)-l-(2-pyridyhnethyl)piperidine (68) as a potent catalyst for methano-lytic ASD of cyclic mei o-anhydrides (Fig. 16) [227], This catalyst was envisaged to adopt a helical conformation thereby providing a highly asymmetric environment for the nucleophihc teri-amine lone pair whilst also allowing activation of the anhydride substrate by the phenolic hydroxyl groups. In the event, ees up to 81% were obtained for the methanolytic ASD of a cyclic meio-anhydride when employed at the 5 mol% level for 20 h at 0 °C in toluene [227]. 

Polymerization of optically active isonitiiles, 72, also leads to the formation of helical polymers with a preferential screw sense (219-222). Various factors distinguish this system from the preceding ones In the isonitrile case no new stereogenic atoms are formed during polymerization the helices are rigid and there is no indication of conformational equilibrium in the system the formation of a preferential screw sense is very probably a kinetically controlled process. 

As already reported in Sects. IV-C and V, there are a few examples of chiral polymers not containing classical asyrrunetric carbon atoms or odier elements of localized chirality (substituted biphenyls, etc.). In such cases chirality is related to the presence of rigid helical conformations and optical activity derives from an excess of chain segments turned in one or the other sense. We may distinguish polymers in which conformational rigidity (and hence the possibility... 

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