Enantioselective [4+4] photodimerization of anthracene-2,6-dicarboxylic acid mediated by a C2-symmetric chiral template

A chiral template was constructed from 7-ethynyl-1,5,7-trimethyl-3-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonan-2-one by Sonogashira cross-coupling with 4,4′′-diiodoterphenyl and was shown to bind the title compound strongly by hydrogen bonding resulting in enantioselectivities of up to 55% enantiomeric excess (ee) in the [4+4] anthracene photodimerization.