FICA, a new chiral derivatizing agent for determining the absolute configuration of secondary alcohols by ¹⁹F and ¹H NMR spectroscopies

Optically active 1-fluoroindan-1-carboxylic acid (FICA) was designed and prepared as its methyl ester for determining the absolute configuration of chiral molecules by both ¹H and ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopies. Enantiomerically pure isomers of FICA methyl esters (FICA Me esters) were obtained by chromatographic separation using HPLC with a Daicel Chiralcel OJ-H column. The absolute configuration of the (+)-FICA Me ester was deduced to be (S) by X-ray crystallographic analysis of the (+)-FICA amide of (R)-α-phenethylamine. Both enantiomers were derived to the diastereomeric esters of chiral secondary alcohols by an ester exchange reaction. In the ¹H NMR spectra, the signs of Δδ_H (δ_R - δ_S) were consistent on each side of the FICA molecular plane. Therefore, the concept of the modified Mosher's method could be successfully applied to the FICA-based procedure. Moreover, the consistency in the signs of Δδ_F (δ_R - δ_S) values suggests that the FICA method would be reliable in assigning the absolute configurations of secondary alcohols based on ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy.