Enantiodifferentiating Photoisomerization of (Z)-Cyclooctene Sensitized by Chiral C2-Symmetric Phosphoramide

Abstract

The optically active C₂-symmetric phosphoramides (2) and (3) were employed as chiral sensitizers for the geometrical photoisomerization of (Z)-cyclooctene (1Z) in pentane at varying temperatures. At low temperature (–56˚C), the achieved enantiomeric excesses (e.e.) for (1Z) are 20 and 28%, respectively.

Manuscript received: 14 March 2001.