Enantioselective Synthesis of Inherently Chiral Tetraphenylene Analogues Enabled by NHC‐Catalyzed Benzoin Condensation

Y Yuanhang Zhang (College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University) Y Yu Luo (Macau Centre for Research and Development in Chinese Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Mechanism and Quality of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences) T Tao Zhang M Meiling Chen Y Yougen Xu (China‐New Zealand Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Biomedicine and Health Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health Chinese Academy of Sciences Guangzhou People's Republic of China) G Guangwu Sun (Zhejiang Key Laboratory of New Drug Development for Central Nervous System Diseases, School of Pharmaceutical and Materials Engineering & Institute for Advanced Studies Taizhou University Taizhou Zhejiang People's Republic of China) S Shuang Luo Q Qiang Zhu (School of Science and Molecular Horizons, ARC Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology)

Abstract

ABSTRACT Herein, we report an enantioselective N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC)‐catalyzed intramolecular benzoin reaction of bisaldehydes featuring a 1,1′:2′,1′′‐terphenyl linkage to afford eight‐membered α‐hydroxy ketones in which six of the eight ring atoms are benzene carbons. The benzene‐rich framework is conformationally inflexible and thus inherently chiral, adopting a saddle‐shaped conformation. A variety of heteroaromatic‐ and naphthalene‐embedded tetraphenylene analogues were prepared enantioselectively by routine transformations of the α‐hydroxy ketone moiety. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations elucidate the reaction mechanism and provide insights into the origin of the stereoselectivity.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 65, Issue 23
Published June 01, 2026
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (8)

Y

Yuanhang Zhang

College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University

Y

Yu Luo

Macau Centre for Research and Development in Chinese Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Mechanism and Quality of Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences

T

Tao Zhang

M

Meiling Chen

Y

Yougen Xu

China‐New Zealand Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Biomedicine and Health Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health Chinese Academy of Sciences Guangzhou People's Republic of China

G

Guangwu Sun

Zhejiang Key Laboratory of New Drug Development for Central Nervous System Diseases, School of Pharmaceutical and Materials Engineering & Institute for Advanced Studies Taizhou University Taizhou Zhejiang People's Republic of China

S

Shuang Luo

Q

Qiang Zhu

School of Science and Molecular Horizons, ARC Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology