Molecular Chirality Switches for Biarylethane Systems

该项目的目的是合成和研究分子手性开关的二乙烷体系。虽然通过单键连接的两个芳基单位（双芳基）作为手性受体、催化剂或试剂被广泛使用，但通过乙醇桥连接的两个芳基单位（双芳基乙烷）被认为是非手性的。然而，事实并非如此；只有围绕单键的旋转才使这个体系看起来是非手性的。在这个项目的背景下，我们想开发一个系统，锁定二乙烷单元在一个特定的螺旋度（P或M），而且允许可逆切换两个螺旋度（P -> M和M -> P）。该手性开关的构造原理具有普遍适用性，可用于多种芳基体系。该项目的长期愿景是开发二芳基乙烷体系，与二芳基化合物类似，它可以作为对映选择性受体和催化剂，但它还具有可逆可切换的螺旋度。

The object of the project is the synthesis and investigation of molecular chirality switches for biarylethane systems. While the use of two aryl units connected via a single bond (biaryls) as chiral receptors, catalysts or reagents is widespread, two aryl units connected via an ethano bridge (biarylethanes) are considered as achiral. This is however not the case; only the rotation around the single bonds makes this system appear achiral. In context of the project we would like to develop a system which locks the biarylethane unit in a specific helicity (P or M) and moreover allows reversible switching between the two helicities (P -> M and M -> P). The construction principle of this chirality switch is generally applicable and a multitude of aryl systems can be used. The long-term vision of this project is the development of biarylethane systems which, in analogy to the biaryl compounds, can work as enantioselective receptors and catalysts, but which additionally have reversibly switchable helicity.