The first example of an intramolecular H bond between aliphatic Cl and aromatic C–H was observed in the crystal of C2-symmetric (4R,5R)-4,5-bis(diphenylchloromethyl)-1,3,2-dioxathiolane 2-oxide. In this case one Cl atom is engaged in H-bonding with two ortho-C–H groups in the axial and equatorial phenyl planes, with the recorded distances of 2.562 Ǻ and 2.804 Ǻ, respectively. The observed angle for Ca–H–Cl is 108.41° and that for Cq–H–Cl is 96.53°.

Inclusion complexation of a tricyclic dipeptide derived from (S)-proline toward several chiral diols was examined, and observed that inclusion complexation behavior depended strongly on the composition of diol. For 2,3-O-alkylidene-1,1,4,4-tetraphenylthreitols, the derivatives of cyclohexanone and acetone reacted with the dipeptide to generate a 1:2 inclusion complex; however, the former is achiroselective, affording the second heterocomplex known to date. Based on the heterocomplexation, complete disproportionation of enantiomers of non-racemic 2,3-O-cyclohexylidene-1,1,4,4-tetraphenylthreitol was successfully realized, leading to highly effective separation of the excess enantiomer from the racemate. On the other hand, inclusion complexation did not occur between the dipeptide and rac-pinanediol or (4R,5R)-4-diphenylhydroxymethyl-5-hydroxy-2,6,6-triphenyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolane.Highly effective separation of the excess enantiomer from the racemate non-racemic was successfully realized for 2,3-O-cyclohexylidene-1,1,4,4-tetraphenylthreitol via heterocomplexation.

Solvent-free reactions of aromatic aldehydes with three representative ketones, including acetophenone, acetone and cyclohexanone, have been examined under the catalysis of a low-cost inorganic base system consisting of NaOH and K2CO3. It was found that the chemoselectivity of the reactions is in close relationship with the composition of the reactants and the doublecomponent catalyst. Under the optimized experimental conditions, 1,2,3,4,5-pentasubstituted cyclohexanols, α,β-unsaturated ketones and Claisen-Schmidt bicondensation products were obtained in high yields. Two Kostanecki’s triketones were separated, The composition and structure were affirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis.

Sterically hindered C2 chiral (3R,4R)- and (3S,4S)-2,2,5,5-tetraphenyltetrahydrofuran-3,4-diols have been conveniently prepared in a very high yield via heterogeneous intramolecular selective 1,4-cyclocondensation of (2R,3R)- and (2S,3S)-1,1,4,4-tetraphenylbutanetetraol in concentrated hydrohalic acids, respectively. Preliminary examination of additives for the Barbas–List reaction showed that in certain cases, the hindered C2 chiral tetrahydrofuran-3,4-diols were better chiral auxiliaries than enantiopure (R)- and (S)-1,1′-bi-2-naphthols.(3R,4R)-2,2,5,5-Tetraphenyltetrahydrofuran-3,4-diolC28H24O3·C2H5OH[α]D27=-208 (c 0.87, CHCl3)Source of chirality: (2R,3R)-tartaric acidAbsolute configuration: (3R,4R)