Determination of absolute configuration by 31P NMR

The determination of absolute configuration is crucial for all chiral molecules; therefore many techniques have been developed to serve this purpose. It is especially important for the invention of new medicines, as in some cases only one enantiomer has a positive medical effect, while the other is inactive or even harmful. Herein we present the usefulness of the 31P NMR technique in the determination of the absolute configuration of chiral molecules, as an alternative to other methods. The models presented herein, often developed on the basis of 1H NMR, describe conformations and configurations and following shielding effects in chiral molecules, that can be applied to determine the stereochemistry of a molecule by 31P NMR spectroscopy. Numerous examples of the use of some of the described models are presented as well.

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