Crystallographic and chiroptical studies on tetraarylferrocenes for use as chiral rotary modules for molecular machines

Chemistry. 2007;13(6):1724-30. doi: 10.1002/chem.200601098.

Abstract

A crystal structure of the racemic form of chiral molecular scissors 1 with a trans configuration at the azobenzene unit (rac-trans-1), in which the scissors adopt a closed geometry with two blade phenyl groups that overlap each other, was successfully determined. X-ray crystallographic determination of the structure of (1S,1'S)-10, which is a derivative of the key precursor of trans-1, was also successful. On the basis of the crystal structure of (1S,1'S)-10, the absolute configuration of 1 and related molecular machines, such as molecular pedal 2, and self-locking rotor 3, which all contain a chiral tetrasubstituted ferrocene module, were determined. A correlation between the absolute configuration and the circular dichroism properties of these molecular machines and their synthetic precursors was also determined.