Optically active aromatics possessing helical chirality: one-pot synthesis, optical resolution and crystal structure of 13,14-dimethyldibenzo[ b , j ][4,7]phenanthroline and its dihydro form as a novel chiral building block

Helical aromatics, 13,14-dimethyldibenzo[b,j][4,7]phenanthroline 1 and its dihydro form 2 were synthesized via a one-step reaction, resolved into each of the enantiomers by HPLC and their single crystal structures were determined.