Chiral Triptycenes: Concepts, Progress and Prospects

• Published in: Chemistry : a European journal Vol. 27; no. 24; pp. 7059 - 7068
• Main Authors: Khan, Md. Nasim, Wirth, Thomas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 26-04-2021; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: absolute configuration; Aromatic compounds; catalysis; Chemistry; chiral advanced materials; chiral triptycene; Chirality; circular polarized luminescence; Minireview; Minireviews; Organic chemistry; Polymer chemistry; Polymers; chiral triptycene; catalysis; circular polarized luminescence; absolute configuration; chiral advanced materials
• ISSN: 0947-6539; 1521-3765
• DOI: 10.1002/chem.202005317

Triptycenes have been established as unique scaffolds because of their backbone π‐structure with a propeller‐like shape and saddle‐like cavities. They are some of the key organic molecules that have been extensively studied in polymer chemistry, in supramolecular chemistry and in material science. Triptycenes become chiral molecules when substituents are unsymmetrically attached in at least two of their different aromatic rings. This Minireview highlights the chirality of triptycenes from basics to an advanced stage for the development of functional molecules.
From basics to advanced: Chirality in triptycenes due to atropisomerism and stereocenters have been reviewed and the routes to obtain these chiral triptycenes have been highlighted. This Minireview describes the initial history of developments of chiral triptycenes and its comeback to important applications in advanced materials and catalysis after a gap of almost 30 years.