Main-chain chirality optically active polysilanes

Most optically active polysilanes owe their optical activity to induced main-chain chirality, as outlined above. However, backbone silicon atoms with two different side-chain substituents are chiral. Long-chain catenates, however, are effectively internally racemized by the random stereochemistry at silicon, and inherent main-chain chirality is not observed. For oligosilanes, however, inherent main-chain chirality has been demonstrated. A series of 2,3-disubstituted tetrasilanes, H3Si[Si(H)X]2SiH3 (where X = Ph, Cl, or Br), were obtained from octaphenylcyclote-trasilane and contain two chiral main-chain silicon atoms, 6.16 These give rise to four diastereoisomers the optically active S,S and R,R forms, the activity of which is equal but opposite, resulting in a racemic (and consequently optically inactive) mixture and the two meso-forms, S,R and R,S, which are optically inactive by internal compensation. It is reported that the diastereoisomers could be distinguished in NMR and GC/MS experiments. For the case of 2-phenyltetrasilane, a racemic mixture of (R)- and (A)-enantiomers was obtained. 

Helical polysilanes whose optical activity is induced by chiral side chains are particularly suitable chiroptical polymers for elucidating the inherent nature of the polymer helix since they embody a fluorophoric and chromophoric main chain, exhibiting intense UV, CD, and FL bands due to the Sia-Sia ... 

Figure 2 shows the UV absorption spectra of four optically active poly (dialkylsilane)s bearing different chiral side groups in THF at 30 °C [45]. It is evident that as the value of a increases from 0.59 to 1.25, the UV absorption intensity increases, whereas the full width at half maximum (fwhm) decreases. These results led to the finding of the semi-empirical relationship between the main chain absorption characteristics and the global conformation of various polysilanes in solution. 

By certain physical factors like thermal, ultraviolet irradiation, high pressure and other chemical parameters like organic solvents the helical pol5mers are easily denaturalized. A variety of helical polymers are synthesized, which include polyisocyanates, polyisocyanides, polychloral, polymethacrylates, polysilanes, polythiophenes, poly (p-phenylene)s, poly(l-methylpropargyl-ester)s, poly(phenylacetylene)s and poly (-unsaturated ketone) [18-24] (Fig. 1). Other polymers are whose optical activity is main chain or side chain chirality dependent e.g. amino-acid-based polymers are nontoxic, biocompatible and biodegradable. 

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