Abstract
Stereoselective solvolyses of optically active activated esters in the aggregate system of optically active polymeric surfactants containing imidazole and benzene moieties were performed. The catalyst polymers employed were copolymers of N-methacryloyl-L-histidine methyl ester (MHis) with N,N-dimethyl-N-hexadecyl-N-[10-(p-methacryloylo xyphenoxycarbonyl)-decyl]ammonium bromide(DEMAB). In the solvolyses of N-carbobenzoxy-D- and L-phenylalanine p-nitrophenyl esters (D-NBP and L-NBP) by polymeric catalysts, copoly(MHis-DEMAB) exhibited not only increased catalytic activity but also enhanced enantioselectivity as the mole ${\%}$ of surfactant monomers in the copolymers increased. The polymeric catalysts showed noticeable enantioselective solvolyses toward D- and L-NBP of the substrates employed. As the reaction temperature was lowered for the solvolyses of D- and L-NBP with the catalyst polymer containing 3.5 mole ${\%}$ of MHis, the increased reaction rate and enhanced enantioselectivity were observed. The coaggregative systems of the polymer and monomeric surfactants were also investigated. In the case of coaggregate system consisted of 70 mole ${\%}$ of cetyldimethylethylammonium bromide with polymeric catalyst showed maximum enantioselective catalysis, viz., $k_{cat}(L)/k_{cat}(D)$ = 2.85. The catalyst polymers in the sonicated solvolytic solutions were confirmed to form large aggregate structure by electron microscopic observation.
