Autosolvation: Architecture and Selection of Chiral Conformers in Alkylcobalt Carbonyl Molecular Clocks

Autosolvation is an important factor in stabilizing the architecture of medium complicated molecules. It is a kind of “supramolecular force” acting in intramolecular manner, consisting of orbital-orbital interactions between polar groups, separated by more than one covalent bonds within the same molecule. This effect facilitates also the development of chiral conformations. Two typical alkylcobalt carbonyl type molecules are discussed here as examples of autosolvating intramolecular interactions, leading to dramatic selection of chiral conformers and indicating also to the limits of the effect. The conformers stabilized by autosolvation and their interconversion are excellent examples of a “molecular clockwork”. Operation mode of these molecular clockworks gives some insight into the intramolecular transfer of chiral information.