PQXdpap: Helical Poly(quinoxaline-2,3-diyl)s Bearing 4-(Dipropylamino)pyridin-3-yl Pendants as Chirality-Switchable Nucleophilic Catalysts for the Kinetic Resolution of Secondary Alcohols.

Helically chiral poly(quinoxaline-2,3-diyl)s bearing 4-(dipropylamino)pyridin-3-yl pendants at the 5-position of the quinoxaline ring (PQXdpap) exhibited high catalytic activities and moderate to high selectivities (up to s = 87) in the acylative kinetic resolution of secondary alcohols. The solvent-dependent helical chirality switching of PQXdpap between pure toluene and a 1:1 mixture of toluene and 1,1,2-trichloroethane enabled the preparation of either compound of a pair of enantiomerically pure alcohols (>99% ee) from a single catalyst.