Achiral 2-pyridone and 4-aminopyridine act as chiral inducers of asymmetric autocatalysis with amplification of enantiomeric excess via the formation of chiral crystals

Enantiomorphous crystals of achiral 2-pyridone and 4-aminopyridine served as sources of chirality, to induce the asymmetric autocatalysis of 5-pyrimidyl alkanol during the asymmetric addition of diisopropylzinc to the corresponding pyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde, that is, the Soai reaction. Following a significant amplification of enantiomeric excess through asymmetric autocatalysis, highly enantioenriched 5-pyrimidyl alkanol could be synthesized with their corresponding absolute configurations to those of chiral crystals of 2-pyridone and 4-aminopyridine. Enantiomorphic crystals of achiral 2-pyridone and 4-aminopyridine acted as chiral sources in the Soai reaction, involving the asymmetric addition of diisopropylzinc to pyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde. Through asymmetric autocatalysis, the enantioenrichment was significantly amplified, resulting in the formation of highly enantioenriched 5-pyrimidyl alkanol with absolute configurations corresponding to those of the chiral crystals.image