Absolute configuration determination of the anti-head-to-head photocyclodimer of anthracene-2-carboxylic acid through cocrystallization with L-prolinol.

The absolute configuration has been established of the enantiopure anti-head-to-head cyclodimer of anthracene-2-carboxylic acid (AC) cocrystallized with L-propinol and dichloromethane [systematic name: (S)-2-(hydroxymethyl)pyrrolidin-1-ium (5R,6S,11R,12S)-8-carboxy-5,6,11,12-tetrahydro-5,12:6,11-bis([1,2]benzeno)dibenzo[a,e][8]annulene-2-carboxylate dichloromethane monosolvate], C5H12NO(+)·C30H19O4(-)·CH2Cl2. In the crystal structure, the AC dimer interacts with L-prolinol through a nine-membered hydrogen-bonded ring [R2(2)(9)], while the dichloromethane molecule is incorporated to fill the void space. The absolute configuration determined in this study verifies a recent assignment made by comparing theoretical versus experimental circular dichroism spectra.