Stereodynamics of nitrogen chiral centers in aza-β3-cyclodipeptides.

The present work is devoted to the synthesis, conformational analysis, and stereodynamic study of aza-β(3)-cyclodipeptides. This pseudopeptidic ring shows E/Z hydrazide bond isomerism, eight-membered ring conformation, and chirotopic nitrogen atoms, all of which are elements that are prone to modulate the ring shape. The (E,E) twist boat conformation observed in the solid state by X-ray diffraction is also the ground conformation in solution, and emerges as the lowest in energy when using quantum chemical calculations.