(R,R)-N,N'-dimethylcyclohexyl-1,2-diazaseleno-phospholidine as a chiral derivatizing agent for the evaluation of chiral alcohols.

Previously, a diazaphospholidine has been synthesized and evaluated as a chiral derivatizing reagent for the determination of the optical purity of chiral alcohols via 31P NMR spectroscopy (Alexakis et al., J. Org. Chem. 57:1224-1237, 1992). Our laboratory is interested in the advantageous and practical applications of 77Se NMR spectroscopic studies in many facets of chemistry and biochemistry. To this end we have used this diazaphospholidine as a starting point and have investigated chiral alcohols coupled to an optically pure diazaselenophospholidine. The diastereomers formed were then evaluated by 77Se NMR spectroscopy, and these results were compared to the 31P NMR results published by Alexakis and co-workers. It was found that addition of the Se atom produced diastereomers that were air stable and, in many cases, the individual diastereomers could be distinguished by 77Se NMR spectroscopy. Preliminary results indicate that the 77Se nucleus is somewhat more sensitive to remotely disposed chiral centers than is the 31P nucleus. Furthermore, because of their stability, these compounds do not readily decompose and can, therefore, be studied by a variety of chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques.