Asymmetric synthesis, chiral auxiliaries and methods of asymmetric induction - One Line Questions
1.
If a reaction yields 90% of the (R)-enantiomer and 10% of the (S)-enantiomer, what is the enantiomeric excess (ee)? —
80%
2.
What is a 'prochiral' molecule? —
A molecule that can be converted into a chiral molecule by a reaction that forms a new stereocenter
3.
Asymmetric synthesis aims to produce: —
A single enantiomer or an enantiomerically enriched product
4.
What does 'stereospecificity' refer to in a chemical reaction? —
A reaction where a specific stereoisomer of the reactant yields a specific stereoisomer of the product.
5.
What is a 'chiral auxiliary' in asymmetric synthesis? —
A chiral molecule temporarily incorporated into a substrate to induce diastereoselectivity
6.
A molecule that is non-superimposable on its mirror image is called: —
Chiral
7.
A chiral catalyst is a catalyst that is: —
Chiral and speeds up the reaction
8.
Methods of asymmetric induction can involve: —
Chiral catalysts, chiral reagents, or chiral auxiliaries
9.
What type of substrates are commonly reduced in Noyori asymmetric hydrogenation? —
Ketones and imines
10.
The Jacobsen epoxidation is known for its high enantioselectivity in the epoxidation of: —
Internal alkenes
11.
What is a key difference between chiral auxiliaries and chiral catalysts? —
Auxiliaries are used in stoichiometric amounts; catalysts are used in sub-stoichiometric amounts.
12.
What is a common chiral auxiliary derived from an amino acid? —
Proline
13.
The Noyori asymmetric hydrogenation typically employs a chiral ruthenium-phosphine complex as a: —
Chiral catalyst
14.
The use of chiral phosphine ligands like BINAP in transition metal catalysis is an example of: —
Chiral catalyst approach
15.
The Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation is a famous example of: —
Asymmetric induction using a chiral catalyst system
16.
Evans' oxazolidinones are a well-known class of: —
Chiral auxiliaries
17.
Which of the following is NOT a method for determining enantiomeric purity? —
Mass spectrometry
18.
Asymmetric synthesis is particularly important in the pharmaceutical industry because: —
Chiral drugs often have different pharmacological activities or toxicities for different enantiomers
19.
A mixture containing equal amounts of two enantiomers is known as a: —
Racemic mixture
20.
Which type of molecule has internal symmetry elements such that it is superimposable on its mirror image, despite having chiral centers? —
Meso compound
21.
Classical resolution of enantiomers often involves forming salts with a chiral acid or base. These salts are: —
Diastereomers
22.
Which of the following is a key characteristic of a chiral auxiliary? —
It is easily removed after the chiral center is formed
23.
After the desired chiral center is formed using a chiral auxiliary, it is typically: —
Hydrolyzed or cleaved to be removed
24.
Which of the following is a method of asymmetric induction that does NOT typically involve metal catalysts? —
Organocatalysis (e.g., using proline)
25.
Which type of reaction is most likely to convert a prochiral ketone into a chiral alcohol? —
Nucleophilic addition
26.
What is the fundamental requirement for a molecule to exhibit optical isomerism? —
Presence of a chiral center
27.
In the context of Evans' auxiliaries, N-acylation followed by deprotonation creates an enolate that reacts with electrophiles with high: —
Diastereoselectivity
28.
Polarimetry measures the rotation of plane-polarized light by a chiral compound. A positive rotation is denoted by (+), and a negative rotation by (-). These are: —
Independent of absolute configuration
29.
When assigning R/S configuration, if the lowest priority group is pointing away from the viewer, a clockwise arrangement of the other three groups corresponds to: —
R configuration
30.
What is kinetic resolution? —
Using a chiral reagent to react preferentially with one enantiomer in a racemic mixture
31.
What does the term 'enantiomers' refer to? —
Stereoisomers that are mirror images of each other
32.
Chiral ligands are often used in conjunction with: —
Achiral metal centers to form chiral catalysts
33.
Which statement best describes the 'chiral pool' approach to asymmetric synthesis? —
Using readily available, inexpensive chiral natural products as starting materials.
34.
In the context of asymmetric synthesis, 'chiral memory' refers to: —
The ability of a chiral auxiliary to transfer its chirality to the product and be recovered.
35.
In the asymmetric reduction of a prochiral ketone, a chiral reducing agent or catalyst influences the approach of the hydride to: —
The carbonyl carbon, leading to preferential formation of one enantiomer
36.
The (R) and (S) nomenclature for stereocenters is based on: —
The sequence rules developed by Cahn-Ingold-Prelog
37.
Reagent-controlled asymmetric synthesis relies on: —
A chiral reagent or catalyst that directs the stereochemical outcome
38.
What does 'enantiomeric excess' (ee) measure? —
The degree to which one enantiomer is favored over the other
39.
What is 'asymmetric induction'? —
The process by which a chiral influence directs the stereochemical outcome of a reaction
40.
Organocatalysis, using small organic molecules as catalysts, can also be used for asymmetric synthesis. A prominent example is: —
Organocatalytic Michael additions using proline derivatives
41.
A key challenge in using chiral auxiliaries is: —
The difficulty in their removal and recycling
42.
Which concept is central to achieving asymmetric induction? —
Chiral discrimination
43.
What are the key components of the Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation catalyst system? —
Titanium tetraisopropoxide, tert-butyl hydroperoxide, and a chiral tartrate ester
44.
What is the role of a chiral resolving agent? —
To temporarily attach to a racemic mixture to form diastereomers, which can then be separated
45.
What is the purpose of the Cahn-Ingold-Prelog priority rules? —
To assign the absolute configuration (R or S) to a stereocenter
46.
What is the primary goal when using a chiral auxiliary? —
To achieve high diastereomeric excess (de)
47.
Which of the following is an example of a substrate-controlled asymmetric synthesis? —
Using a chiral auxiliary attached to the substrate
48.
Diastereoselective reactions create products with a higher proportion of one diastereomer over others. This is often achieved by: —
Utilizing existing stereocenters in the substrate to influence the formation of new stereocenters
49.
Which of the following is a common example of a chiral molecule? —
Lactic acid