BODIPY is the technical common name of a chemical compound with formula C9H7BN2F2, whose molecule consists of a boron difluoride group BF2 joined to a dipyrromethene group C9H7N2. BODIPY and many of its derivatives have received attention recently for being fluorescent dyes with unique properties. They strongly absorb UV-radiation and re-emit it in very narrow frequency spreads, with high quantum yields, mostly at wavelengths below 600 nm. They are relatively insensitive to the polarity and pH of their environment and are reasonably stable to physiological conditions. Small modifications to their structures enable tuning of their fluorescence characteristics (Description taken from Wikipedia).
Our research then deals with following:
The synthesis of enantiopure chiral boron dipyrromethenes (BODIPYs) is of importance due the intrinsic properties of BODIPYs as fluorophores that could be used as probes for molecular sensing. The present study reports an asymmetric organocatalytic cascade reaction of meso-chloromethyl BODIPY derivatives with α,β-unsaturated aldehydes catalyzed by a chiral secondary amine. The corresponding BODIPY-derived cyclopropanes were produced in isolated yields 66–98%, and with diastereomeric ratios 3/2–>20/1, and 92–99% ee for major diastereomer. The synthetic utility of the protocol was exemplified on a set of additional transformations of the corresponding optically pure compounds. In addition, a study explaining the reaction mechanism (DFT computations) and photophysical characterization of all enantioenriched products were accomplished.
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