Repurposing Hypervalent Iodine: From Synthetic Reagents to Dynamic 19F NMR Probes for Chiral Discrimination

Abstract

Ensuring the enantiomeric purity of chiral compounds is crucial in pharmaceutical research. Chiral organic carboxylic acids are widely present in drug molecules, and the rapid and accurate differentiation of enantiomers of these compounds is vital for drug screening and quality control. Herein, we have developed a metal-free 19F-labeled NMR probe, combining the dynamic exchange capability of hypervalent iodine with chemical sensing to propose a strategy for the detection of chiral carboxylic acids. This method exhibits high tolerance to potentially competing functional groups, effectively distinguishing enantiomers in complex samples and providing a rapid and selective approach for pharmaceutical chiral analysis. The potential of this method in assessing enantiomeric excess and the selectivity of catalytic reactions underscores its application prospects in asymmetric synthesis and drug development.