Structurally rigid groups

Outline by means of suitable examples the significance of (i) structurally rigid groups, (ii) conformations and (iii) configuration on the design of new drugs. 

It was found that Cope rearrangement of the structurally rigid tetracyclic molecule 506 is remarkably accelerated by creating a remote (i.e. non-conjugated) carbenium ion center by an ionization of a ketal group (equation 191)249. The possibility of both classical and non-classical ion participation in this Cope rearrangement was revealed by using MNDO calculations. 

The H NMR spectra of the related [La(THED)]3+ as a function of temperature reveal a dynamic process at room temperature similar to that observed for [Ln(DOTA)] complexes [143]. At ambient temperature, the 13C NMR spectra (methanol-d, ) consists of two sharp resonances assigned to the pendant arms and one broad resonance attributed to the ethylene ring carbons, which sharpens as the fast exchange limit is approached (ca. 50°C). Likewise, at -20°C the broad resonance resolves into two peaks. The increased flexibility observed for [La(THED)]3+ as compared to DOTA complexes suggests that the pendant groups contribute to the structural rigidity of the macrocyclic ring. 

The majority of studies into the catalytic behaviour of dendrimers with chiral catalytic centres at the periphery of the dendritic support have concerned non-phosphine-based catalysts. As has become apparent in these studies, the effect of the dendrimer fixation on the catalytic performance generally depends on the individual system. Factors such as the high local density of catalytic sites, the interaction of functional groups in the dendrimer backbone with the catalysts and the structural rigidity or flexibility of the dendrimers seem to play a role in many cases. 

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