Novel optically active anionic initiators bearing a chiral oxazole substituent on the fluorene ring, (S)-1-(9H-fluoren-2-yl)-4-isopropyl-4,5-dihydrooxazole lithium (Li-(S)-1-FIDH) and (S)-2-(9H-fluoren-2-yl)-4-isopropyl-4,5-dihydrooxazole lithium (Li-(S)-2-FIDH), were prepared. Anionic homopolymerizations of achiral N-substituted maleimide (RMI) with the chiral initiators were investigated. The optically active polymers obtained were attributed to asymmetric induction of the chiral initiators. The very crowded chiral initiator Li-(S)-1-FIDH was found to play a better asymmetric induction role in the polymers than Li-(S)-2-FIDH. Anionic copolymerization of (R)-(+)-N-1-phenylethyl maleimide and optically inactive RMI with Li-(S)-1-FIDH were also studied. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry

Novel optically active carbon anionic initiators bearing a chiral oxazole substituent on fluorene ring, (S)-1-(9H-fluoren-2-yl)-4-isopropyl-4, 5-dihydrooxazole lithium ((S)-1-FIDD-Li) and (S)-2-(9H-fluoren-2-yl)-4-isopropyl-4, 5-dihydrooxazole lithium ((S)-2-FIDD-Li), were synthesized. Anionic polymerizations of achiral polyisocyanates with the chiral initiators were investigated and optical rotation of the obtained polymers were attributed to asymmetric induction of the chiral initiators. The crowded substituent of initiator ((S)-2-FIDD-Li) seems to reduce the polymerizability of isocyanates and yet enhances the chiral induced ability in polymerization. Chirality 27:449–453, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Two kinds of novel styryl chemosensory 2-FMNC and 3-FMNC, were designed and synthesized by an apporiate introduction of 9-benzylidene-9H-fluorene group as fluorophore with the aim at avoiding photoisomerisation. These 9-benzylidene-9H-fluorene derivatives showed the similar selectivity and sensitivity upon addition of metal ions. The sensitivity of FMNC to alkaline earth metal ions was Ba²⁺>Sr²⁺>Ca²⁺≈Mg²⁺.