Inherently Chiral Bambus[4]urils

J Org Chem. 2020 Jul 17;85(14):9190-9200. doi: 10.1021/acs.joc.0c01174. Epub 2020 Jun 25.

Abstract

A new class of bambus[4]urils (BU[4]s) composed of asymmetric N,N'-disubstituted glycoluril subunits with different alkyl groups were designed, synthesized, and fully characterized by NMR techniques and X-ray crystallography. Structural studies showed that four macrocyclic diastereoisomers are possible: two Sn symmetric achiral macrocycles and two macrocycles that are "inherently" chiral. The relative "head-to-tail" arrangement of the N-substituents in Bn4Me4BU[4], 5a, clearly observed by X-ray spectroscopy analysis, determines the overall symmetry of the bambusuril structure. Chiral Pr4Me4BU[4], 4b, was resolved by chiral high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) into its enantiomers, and all four inherently chiral bambusuril pairs (two Pr4Me4BU[4] and two Bn4Me4BU[4] stereoisomers, 4b, 4d, 5b, and 5d) were clearly observed by 1H NMR spectroscopy with the aid of (R)-BINOL as a chiral solvating agent. This latter methodology provides a rapid and powerful approach for investigating the enantiopurity of inherently chiral cavitands, which complements and augments the conventional chromatographic approaches.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't