Lakshmi S. Kaanumalle

Photo-Fries reaction in water made selective with a capsule

The water soluble capsule formed by a deep cavity cavitand with eight carboxylic acid groups controls product distribution during photo-Fries rearrangement of naphthyl esters in water by restricting the mobility of primary singlet radical pair.

Photodimerization of acenaphthylene within a nanocapsule: excited state lifetime dependent dimer selectivity

Direct excitation of acenaphthylene molecules included in a syn fashion within the octa acid nanocapsule dimerizes quantitatively to a syn dimer, and upon triplet sensitization, yields both syn and anti dimers probably by reacting within and outside the capsule.

Dynamics of capsuleplex formed between octaacid and organic guest molecules — Photophysical techniques reveal the opening and closing of capsuleplex

This manuscript is concerned with the opening and closing of a capsuleplex made up of organic guest molecules and two cavitand molecules known as octaacid (OA). The capsuleplex is loosely held toge...

Chiral photochemistry within a confined space: diastereoselective photorearrangements of a tropolone and a cyclohexadienone included in a synthetic cavitand

The value of a supramolecular assembly to enforce a closer interaction between a chiral auxiliary and a reaction center has been established using photoreactions of tropolone and cyclohexadienone derivatives. Two probe molecules utilized to establish the concept undergo 4 e- electrocyclization and oxa-di-pi-methane rearrangement from excited singlet and triplet state, respectively. The chiral auxiliaries investigated here has no/little effect in acetonitrile solution during phototransformations of the probe molecules to yield products with new chiral centers. On the other hand the same ones are able to enforce diastereoselectivities to the extent of approximately 30% when the reactions occur within the restricted space of a capsule made up of a synthetic cavitand commonly known as octa acid. Extensive NMR studies have been utilized to characterize the guest-host supramolecular structures. The results presented here should be of value in the overall understanding of chiral induction in photochemical reactions.

Cation–π interactions as a tool to enhance the power of a chiral auxiliary during asymmetric photoreactions within zeolites

Owing to the existence of cation-pi interactions, aryl chiral auxiliaries perform far better than alkyl chiral auxiliaries during asymmetric photoreaction.

Cation controlled singlet oxygen mediated oxidation of olefins within zeolites

Oxidation of trialkyl olefins has been performed within zeolites employing thionin as the singlet oxygen sensitizer. Unusual selectivity in favor of secondary hydroperoxides is observed within zeolites. In light of the fact that in solution such a selectivity is never observed the selectivity reported here is of great significance. Based on computational results the observed selectivity is attributed to conformational control of the reactant olefins by cations present in zeolites. Cation-π interaction seems to control the behavior of the olefins towards singlet oxygen within zeolites.

Control of Chirality by Cations in Confined Spaces: Photooxidation of Enecarbamates Inside Zeolite Supercages†

Abstract On photooxygenation of the optically active Z/E enecarbamates 1 (X = i-Pr) and 2 (X = Me) equipped with the oxazolidinone chiral auxiliary in methylene-blue (MB)-incorporated, alkali-metal (M = Li, Na, K, Cs, Rb), exchanged Y-type zeolites (MY-MB), oxidative cleavage of the alkenyl functionality releases the enantiomerically enriched methyldesoxybenzoin (MDB) product. The extent (%ee) and/or the sense (R or S) of the stereoselectivity in the formation of the MDB product depends on the choice of the alkyl substiuent (i-Pr or Me) at the C-4 position of the oxazolidinone chiral auxiliary, the Z/E configuration of the alkene functionality in the enecarbamates, and the type of alkali metal in the zeolite. Most significantly—the highlight of this study—is the reversed sense (R or S) in the stereoselection when the photooxygenation is run in CDCl3 solution versus inside the MY-MB zeolite. As a mechanistic rationale for this novel stereochemical behavior, we propose the combined action of spatial confinement and metal-ion coordination (assessed by density-functional calculations) of the substrate within the zeolite supercage, both of which greatly reduce the freedom of the substrate and entropically manipulate the stereochemical outcome.

Cyclodextrin-mediated regioselective photo-Fries reaction of 1-naphthyl phenyl acylates

1-Naphthyl phenyl acylates upon irradiation in solution yield eight products via β-cleavage process. However, excitation of these molecules as included in γ-cyclodextrin results in a single product (>95%). This medium dependent product selectivity is attributed to conformational and translational restrictions enforced on the reactant as well as intermediates by the cyclodextrin cavity.

Triplet photochemistry within zeolites through heavy atom effect, sensitization and light atom effect

Abstract Methods to generate triplets of organic molecules within zeolites have been established by employing the Zimmerman rearrangement of barrelenes, oxa-di-π-methane rearrangement of β,γ-unsaturated ketones and photodimerization of acenaphthylene as probe reactions. The two methods, heavy cation effect and triplet sensitization, are well established solution techniques and these work well within zeolites. The Zimmerman rearrangement of dibenzobarrelene is enhanced even within Li+ and Na+ exchanged zeolites and these are believed to be the result of slowing of the rearrangement to dibenzocyclooctatetraene from S1 through cation-π interaction. The methods described here provide an opportunity to explore the control afforded by the zeolite environment on triplet reactions.

Alkali Ion Exchanged Nafion as a Confining Medium for Photochemical Reactions

Abstract Methanol-swollen Nafion beads were used as microreactors to control the photochemical reaction pathways. Product selectivity in three unimolecular reactions, namely, the photo-Fries rearrangement of naphthyl esters, Norrish Type I reaction of 1-phenyl-3-p-tolyl-propan-2-one and Norrish Type I and Type II reactions of benzoin alkyl ethers were examined. The influence of cations over the photodimerization of acenaphthylene and cross-photodimerization between acenaphthylene and N-benzyl maleimide included within Nafion were also examined. The photochemical behaviors of the above substrates were significantly altered within Nafion compared with their solution photochemistry. Of particular interest, the product distributions were found to depend on the counter cations of Nafion.