A crystallographic map of chiral recognition in π complexes of aromatic aldehydes and a chiral transition metal Lewis acid: enantioface binding selectivities in solution correlate to distances between metal and carbon stereocentres in the solid state

Abstract

The title claim is established with five π-aromatic aldehyde complexes [(η⁵-C₅H₅)Re(NO)(PPh₃)(η²-OCHAr)]⁺ X^–; electronegative aryl substituents give shorter rhenium–carbon bond lengths and higher binding selectivities, providing the first easily conceptualized mechanism for an electronic effect upon chiral recognition.