Richard M. Kellogg

Emergence of a Single Solid Chiral State from a Nearly Racemic Amino Acid Derivative

The evolution of a single chiral solid state is reported for an amino acid derivative starting from a nearly racemic mixture of solid left- and right-handed crystals. Attrition-enhanced dissolution and recrystallization processes based on solubility considerations of the Gibbs−Thomson rule, coupled with solution-phase racemization, drive this near-equilibrium system inexorably to single chirality in the solid phase.

Chiral Recognition in Bis-Urea-Based Aggregates and Organogels through Cooperative Interactions

Chiral recognition in organogels occurs in the coassembly of the chiral gelator 1 with the chiral guest molecule 2. The diastereomeric aggregates formed from (R,R)-2 with (R,R)-1 or (S,S)-1 were found to be truly different in structure and strength. Cooperativity makes a major contribution to the chiral recognition in this system.

Efficient Intermolecular Charge Transport in Self‐Assembled Fibers of Mono‐ and Bithiophene Bisurea Compounds

Hydrogen bonds between urea units allow self-organization of π systems in mono- and bithiophenes into fibers as shown schematically. In these fibers there is a surprisingly high mobility of charge carriers as determined by pulse-radiolysis time-resolved microwave conductivity measurements.

Syntheses of dithienylcyclopentene optical molecular switches

Properly functionalized dithienylethenes show promise for light-induced switching processes. To prevent cis/trans isomerization from competing with conrotatory 6π-electron ring closure, the ethene segment is usually incorporated in a (perfluorinated) cyclopentene. In the present article syntheses of perhydrocyclopentene 1 and perfluorocyclopentene 2 are described, which are amenable for large-scale conversions. Both compounds have chloro substituents at the 5-position of the thiophene rings to allow further functionalization. The conversion of the chloro substituents of 1 to formyl, carboxylate, boronyl, and hydrogen groups by halogen/lithium exchange at room temperature is described, and examples are given of further elaboration of 1 and 2 by attachment, both in a symmetrical as well as unsymmetrical fashion, of additional functionality by condensation, Friedel−Crafts or Suzuki reactions. The newly prepared thienylperhydrocyclopentene derivatives show reversible photochromism if the substituents at the 5-postions allow for conjugation with the thiophene π-system. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2003)

Geminal Bis-ureas as Gelators for Organic Solvents : Gelation Properties and Structural Studies in Solution and in the Gel State

Several geminal bis-urea compounds were synthesised by means of an acid-catalysed condensation of various benzaldehydes with different monoalkylureas. Many of these compounds form thermoreversible gels with a number of organic solvents at very low concentrations (<3mM) and which are stable to temperatures higher than 100 degrees C. Electron microscopy revealed a three-dimensional (3D) network of intertwined fibres, which are several tens of micrometers long and have a width ranging from approximately 30 to 300 nm. The possible aggregate forms and aggregate symmetries were evaluated by means of molecular mechanics calculations. 1H NMR, 2D NMR, 13C NMR and 13C-CP/MAS NMR techniques were used to obtain information about the aggregation and possible aggregate symmetry of geminal bis-ureas in solution, in the gel state, and in the solid state.

From Ostwald Ripening to Single Chirality

A century ago Wilhelm Ostwald received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Although Ostwald was never significantly involved with the phenomenon of chirality, one of his discoveries, Ostwald ripening, is thought to be involved in a recently discovered method in which grinding-induced attrition is used to transform racemic conglomerates virtually quantitatively into a single enantiomer. In this Minireview the basic concepts developed by Ostwald will be introduced, followed by a summary of the current status of grinding-induced asymmetric transformations. We will see how close Ostwald himself came to discovering this technique.

Complete Chiral Symmetry Breaking of an Amino Acid Derivative Directed by Circularly Polarized Light

Circularly polarized light (CPL) emitted from star-forming regions is an attractive candidate as a cause of single chirality in nature. It has remained difficult, however, to translate the relatively small chemical effects observed on irradiation of molecular systems with CPL into high enantiomeric excesses. Here we demonstrate that irradiation of a racemic amino acid derivative with CPL leads to a small amount of chiral induction that can be amplified readily to give an enantiopure solid phase. A racemate composed of equal amounts of left- and right-handed crystals in contact with the irradiated solution is converted completely into crystals of single-handedness through abrasive grinding when racemization is effected in the solution. The rotation sense of the CPL fully determines the handedness of the final solid state. These findings illustrate the potential effectiveness of CPL in the control of molecular asymmetry, which is relevant for the origin of the single chirality inherent to many biological molecules.

Enantioselectivity of a recombinant epoxide hydrolase from Agrobacterium radiobacter

Abstract The recombinant epoxide hydrolase from Agrobacterium radiobacter AD1 was used to obtain enantiomerically pure epoxides by means of a kinetic resolution. Epoxides such as styrene oxide and various derivatives thereof and phenyl glycidyl ether were obtained in high enantiomeric excess and in reasonable yield. The enantioselectivity (E-value) of the resolution was calculated from progress curves for styrene oxide (E=16.2) and para-chlorostyrene oxide (E=32.2).

Pasteur's tweezers revisited: on the mechanism of attrition-enhanced deracemization and resolution of chiral conglomerate solids.

Insights into the mechanism of attrition-enhanced deracemization and resolution of solid enantiomorphic chiral compounds are obtained by crystal size and solubility measurements and by isotopic labeling experiments. Together these results help to deconvolute the various chemical and physical rate processes contributing to the phenomenon. Crystal size measurements highlight a distinct correlation between the stochastic, transient growth of crystals and the emergence of a single solid enantiomorph under attrition conditions. The rapid mass transfer of molecules between the solution and solid phases under attrition is demonstrated, and the concept of a crystal-size-induced solubility driving force is exploited to overcome the stochastic nature of the crystal growth and dissolution processes. Extension to non-racemizing conditions provides a novel methodology for chiral resolution. Implications both for practical chiral separations and for the origin of biological homochirality are discussed.

Exploration of the biocatalytic potential of a halohydrin dehalogenase using chromogenic substrates

Halohydrin dehalogenases are bacterial enzymes that catalyse the reversible formation of epoxides from vicinal halohydrins. A spectrophotometric assay for halohydrin dehalogenases based on the absorption difference between the halohydrin para-nitro-2-bromo-1-phenylethanol and the epoxide para-nitrostyrene oxide was developed. The enantioselectivity of ring-closure reactions catalysed by three different halohydrin dehalogenases could be estimated from the shape of progress Curves. Evaluation of ring-opening reactions catalysed by halohydrin dehalogenase from Agrobacterium radiobacter AD1 established that, in addition to Cl- and Br-, nucleophiles such as N-3(-), CN- and NO2- are also accepted for the ring opening of para-nitrostyrene oxide. The ring-opening reactions with these nucleophiles resulted in highly enantioselective kinetic resolutions, which expands the scope of synthetically valuable conversions catalysed by a halohydrin dehalogenase