title: Linear trimer analogues of calixarene as chiral coordinating ligands: X-ray crystallographic and NMR spectroscopic characterization of chiral and achiral trisphenolates complexed to titanium(IV) and aluminum(III).
abstract: Achiral and chiral linear trisphenol analogues of calixarene (HOArCH(2)Ar'(OH)C(R)HArOH, Ar = 4,6-di-tert-butylphenyl; Ar' = 4-tert-butylphenyl; R = H (achiral), Me (chiral)) were prepared in anticipation of their adoption of a chiral conformation upon coordination to Lewis acidic metal centers. The trisphenols react with 1 equiv of Ti(OR')(4) (R' = i-Pr or t-Bu) to yield complexes with molecular formula Ti(2)(OArCH(2)Ar'(O)C(R)HArO)(2)(OR')(2) (R = H, Me; R' = i-Pr or t-Bu). An X-ray crystal structure of the titanium complex of the achiral trisphenol (R = H; R' = t-Bu) reveals that the trisphenolate ligand adopts an unsymmetrical (and therefore chiral) conformation, with eta(2)-coordination to one metal center and eta(1)-coordination to the second metal center. The chiral trisphenol, which contains a stereogenic center (indicated as C in the shorthand notation used above), coordinates titanium in an analogous fashion to produce only one diastereomer (out of four possible); therefore, the configuration of the stereogenic center controls the conformation adopted by the bound ligand. The reaction of achiral trisphenol with AlMe(3) produces a compound with molecular formula Al(2)(OArCH(2)Ar'(O)CH(2)ArO)(2). (1)H NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography reveal that the trisphenolate ligand adopts an asymmetric, C(2) conformation in this complex, where the central phenolate oxygen bridges the aluminum centers and the terminal phenolate oxygens each coordinate a separate aluminum center. Because these trisphenolate ligands adopt chiral conformations when coordinated to metal centers, they may be useful for developing diastereo- or enantioselective catalysts and reagents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Gustavus Adolphus College, 800 West College Avenue, St. Peter, Minnesota 56082, USA.
authors.forename: William O
authors.initials: WO
authors.lastname: Appiah
authors.forename: Angela D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: DeGreeff
authors.forename: Gina L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Razidlo
authors.forename: Sarah J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Spessard
authors.forename: Maren
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pink
authors.forename: Victor G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Gretchen E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Hofmeister