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Polyproline I helical structures are often considered as the hidden face of their most famous geminal sibling, Polyproline II, as PPI is generally spotted only within a conformational equilibrium. We designed and synthesized a stable Polyproline I structure exploiting the striking tendency of ( S )-indoline-2-carboxylic acid to drive the peptide bond conformation toward the cis amide isomer, when dissolved in polar solvents. The cooperative effect of only four amino acidic units is sufficient to form a preferential structure in solution. We shed light on this rare secondary structure with a thorough analysis of the spectroscopic and chiroptical properties of the tetramer, supported by X-ray crystallography and computational studies.

A new family of chiral selectors was synthesized in a single synthetic step with yields up to 84% starting from isomannide and isosorbide. Mono- or disubstituted carbamate derivatives were obtained by reacting the isohexides with electron-donating arylisocyanate (3,5-dimethylphenyl- or 3,5-dimethoxyphenyl-) and electron-withdrawing arylisocyanate (3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl-) groups to test opposite electronic effects on enantiodifferentiation. Deeper chiral pockets and derivatives with more acidic protons were obtained by derivatization with 1-naphthylisocyanate and p -toluenesulfonylisocyanate, respectively. All compounds were tested as chiral solvating agents (CSAs) in 1 H NMR experiments with rac - N -3,5-dinitrobenzoylphenylglycine methyl ester in order to determine the influence of different structural features on the enantiodiscrimination capabilities. Some selected compounds were tested with other racemic analytes, still leading to enantiodiscrimination. The enantiodiscrimination conditions were then optimized for the best CSA/analyte couple. Finally, a 2D- and 1D-NMR study was performed employing the best performing CSA with the two enantiomers of the selected analyte, aiming to determine the enantiodiscrimination mechanism, the stoichiometry of interaction, and the complexation constant.

A C2-symmetrical bis-thiourea chiral solvating agent (CSA), TFTDA , for NMR spectroscopy has been obtained by reacting (1 R ,2 R )-1,2-bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)ethylenediamine and 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl isothiocyanate. TFTDA shows remarkable propensity to enantiodiscriminate N -trifluoroacetyl ( N -TFA) and N -acetyl ( N -Ac) derivatives of amino acids with free carboxyl functions, with the co-presence of 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) as the third achiral additive, which is needed for substrate solubilization. TFTDA shows enhanced enantiodiscriminating efficiency in comparison with the corresponding monomeric counterpart, TFTMA , pointing out cooperativity between its two symmetrical entities. A wide range of amino acid derivatives have been efficiently enantiodiscriminated in CDCl 3 , with high enantioresolution quotients, which guarantee high quality in applications devoted to the quantification of enantiomers. High enantiodiscriminating efficiency is maintained also in diluted 5 mM conditions or in the presence of sub-stoichiometric amounts of CSA (0.3 equiv). The role of phenolic hydroxyls in the DABCO-mediated interaction mechanism between TFTDA and the two enantiomeric substrates has been pointed out by means of diffusion-ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) and rotating frame Overhauser effect spectroscopy (ROESY) experiments. A conformational model for both the CSA and its diastereomeric solvates formed with the two enantiomers of N -acetyl leucine has also been conceived on the basis of ROE data in order to give a chiral discrimination rationale.

A thorough experimental and computational study on the conformational properties of ( S )-indoline-2-carboxylic acid derivatives has been conducted. Methyl ( S )-1-acetylindoline-2-carboxylate, both a mimetic of proline and phenylalanine, shows a remarkable tendency toward the cis amide isomer when dissolved in polar solvents. This behavior is opposite to the general preference of proline for the trans isomer, making indoline-2-carboxylic acid a good candidate for the design of different secondary structures and new materials.

The reaction of benzoyl isothiocyanate with (1 R ,2 R )-1,2-bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)ethylenediamine afforded a new thiourea chiral solvating agent (CSA) with a very high ability to differentiate 1 H and 13 C NMR signals of simple amino acid derivatives, even at low concentrations. The enantiodiscrimination efficiency was higher with respect to that of the parent monomer, a thiourea derivative of 2-((1 R )-1-aminoethyl)phenol, thus putting into light the relevance of the cooperativity between the two molecular portions of the dimer in a cleft conformation stabilized by interchain hydrogen bond interactions. An achiral base additive (DABCO or DMAP) played an active role in the chiral discrimination processes, mediating the interaction between the CSA and the enantiomeric mixtures. The chiral discrimination mechanism was investigated by NMR spectroscopy through the determination of complexation stoichiometries, association constants, and the stereochemistry of the diastereomeric solvates.

Thiourea derivatives of 2-[(1 R )-1-aminoethyl]phenol, (1 S ,2 R )-1-amino-2,3-dihydro-1 H -inden-2-ol, (1 R ,2 R )-(1 S ,2 R )-1-amino-2,3-dihydro-1 H -inden-2-ol, and ( R )-1-phenylethanamine have been compared as chiral solvating agents (CSAs) for the enantiodiscrimination of derivatized amino acids using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Thiourea derivative, prepared by reacting 2-[(1 R )-1-aminoethyl]phenol with benzoyl isothiocyanate, constitutes an effective CSA for the enantiodiscrimination of N- 3,5-dinitrobenzoyl (DNB) derivatives of amino acids with free or derivatized carboxyl functions. A base additive 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane(DABCO)/ N , N -dimethylpyridin-4-amine (DMAP)/NBu 4 OH) is required both to solubilize amino acid derivatives with free carboxyl groups in CDCl 3 and to mediate their interaction with the chiral auxiliary to attain efficient differentiation of the NMR signals of enantiomeric substrates. For ternary systems CSA/substrate/DABCO, the chiral discrimination mechanism has been ascertained through the NMR determination of complexation stoichiometry, association constants, and stereochemical features of the diastereomeric solvates.

Beta-phenylselenoglycosides have been efficiently and stereoselectively synthesized by direct oxidative glycosylation of benzenselenolate (PhSe(-)) with glycals. A rationalization of the presently described beta-selectivity and the opposite alpha-selectivity reported by Danishefsky in the ring-opening of epoxy glycals with benzeneselenol (PhSeH) is proposed.

Ionic complexes [PtCl3(C2H4)]-[AmH]+, containing chiral secondary amines, constitute a versatile class of chiral derivatizing agents (CDAs) for the enantiomeric purity determination of chiral unsaturated compounds via 195Pt NMR spectroscopy. The NMR conformational analysis allows us to search for the stereochemical basis of their enhanced versatility.

The stereochemistries in solution of the diastereoisomeric complexes formed by quinines modified at the hydroxyl site (9-O-acetylquinine; 9-O-(3,5-dimethoxyphenylcarbamate)quinine) or quinuclidine nitrogen (N-benzylquininium chloride) and each enantiomer of 2-(3', 5'-dinitrobenzamido)-1-phenylethanol have been compared to those of the free compounds by (1)H NMR investigations. Completely different interaction models, also involving changes of the free state conformations, have been obtained.