Enantioselective recognition of mandelic acid by a 3,6-dithiophen-2-yl-9H-carbazole-based chiral fluorescent bisboronic acid sensor

We have prepared chiral fluorescent bisboronic acid sensors with 3,6-dithiophen-2-yl-9H-carbazole as the fluorophore. The thiophene moiety was used to extend the π-conjugation framework of the fluorophore in order to red-shift the fluorescence emission and, at the same time, to enhance the novel process where the fluorophore serves as the electron donor of the photoinduced electron transfer process (d-PET) of the boronic acid sensors; i.e., the background fluorescence of the sensor 1 at acidic pH is weaker compared to that at neutral or basic pH, in stark contrast to the typical a-PET boronic acid sensors (where the fluorophore serves as the electron acceptor of the photoinduced electron transfer process). The benefit of the d-PET boronic acid sensors is that the recognition of the hydroxylic acids can be achieved at acidic pH. We found that the thiophene moiety is an efficient π-conjugation linker and electron donor; as a result, the d-PET contrast ratio of the sensors upon variation of the pH is improved 10-fold when compared to the previously reported d-PET sensors without the thiophene moiety. Enantioselective recognition of tartaric acid was achieved at acid pH, and the enantioselectivity (total response K(D)I(F)(D)/K(L)I(F)(L)) is 3.3. The fluorescence enhancement (I(F)(Sample)/I(F)(Blank)) of sensor 1 upon binding with tartaric acid is 3.5-fold at pH 3.0. With the fluorescent bisboronic acid sensor 1, enantioselective recognition of mandelic acid was achieved for the first time. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the mandelic acid has been enantioselectively recognized using a chiral fluorescent boronic acid sensor. Chiral monoboronic acid sensor 2 and bisboronic acid sensor 3 without the thiophene moiety failed to enantioselectively recognize mandelic acid. Our findings with the thiophene-incorporated boronic acid sensors will be important for the design of d-PET fluorescent sensors for the enantioselective recognition of α-hydroxylic acids such as mandelic acid, given that it is currently a challenge to recognize these analytes with boronic acid fluorescent molecular sensors.     

Enantioselective fluorescent recognition of amino alcohols by a chiral tetrahydroxyl 1,1'-binaphthyl compound

The tetrahydroxyl derivative of BINOL, (S)- or (R)-1, and its analogues are synthesized. (S)- or (R)-1 can be used to conduct the enantioselective recognition of chiral amino alcohols. In comparison with BINOL, the two additional hydroxyl groups of (S)- or (R)-1 have increased the binding of this compound with the amino alcohols and significantly improved the fluorescence quenching efficiency. The fluorescence responses of (S)- or (R)-1 toward amino alcohols are compared with those of its analogues (R)-4 and (R)-6. It shows that the interaction of the central naphthyl hydroxyl groups of (S)- or (R)-1 with the substrates is responsible for the observed fluorescence quenching, and the two additional alkyl hydroxyl groups increase the quenching efficiency.     

Enantioselective fluorescent recognition of chiral acids by cyclohexane-1,2-diamine-based bisbinaphthyl molecules

The cyclohexane-1,2-diamine-based bisbinaphthyl macrocycles (S)-/(R)-5 and their cyclic and acyclic analogues are synthesized. The interactions of these compounds with various chiral acids are studied. Compounds (S)-/(R)-5 exhibit highly enantioselective fluorescent responses and high fluorescent sensitivity toward alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acids and N-protected amino acids. Among these interactions, (S)-mandelic acid (10(-3) M) led to over 20-fold fluorescence enhancement of (S)-5 (1.0 x 10(-5) M in benzene/0.05% DME) at the monomer emission, and (S)-hexahydromandelic acid (10(-3) M) led to over 80-fold fluorescence enhancement. These results demonstrate that (S)-5 is useful as an enantioselective fluorescent sensor for the recognition of the chiral acids. On the basis of the study of the structures of (S)-5 and the previously reported 1,2-diphenylethylenediamine-based bisbinaphthyl macrocycle (S)-4, the large fluorescence enhancement of (S)-5 with a chirality-matched alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acid is attributed to the formation of a structurally rigidified host-guest complex and the further interaction of this complex with the acid to suppress the photoinduced electron-transfer fluorescent quenching caused by the nitrogens in (S)-5.     

手性芳酰胺类分子钳对氨基酸衍生物的对映选择性识别

在微波辐射条件下,以联苯二甲酸为间隔基,L-氨基酸甲酯为手臂,合成了3个新型芳酰胺手性分子钳。这些化合物的结构经1HNMR,IR,MS和元素分析确证。利用差紫外光谱滴定法考察了其与D/L氨基酸甲酯的对映选择性识别性能。结果表明,分子钳2a~2c对所考察的氨基酸甲酯均具有识别能力,其对D-氨基酸甲酯的识别优于对L-氨基酸甲酯的识别。从主客体间的大小形状匹配及几何互补关系等方面对这些受体的识别能力及对映选择性进行了讨论。     

Highly enantioselective fluorescent sensor for chiral recognition of amino acid derivatives

A highly enantioselective fluorescent sensor, containing benzylaminomethyl groups at 3,3′-position of 1,1′-bi-2-naphthol (BINOL), has been used to conduct the chiral recognition of α-amino acid derivatives. It is observed that one enantiomer of N-Boc-proline can increase the fluorescence intensity of the binaphthyl fluorophores by over 57-fold, while the other enantiomer can cause only sixfold fluorescence enhancement. Such unusually highly enantioselective response demonstrates that this sensor is potentially useful in the enantioselective recognition of amino acid derivatives.     

Novel chiral fluorescent macrocyclic receptors: synthesis and recognition for amino acid anions

New chiral fluorescence macrocycles 1 and 2 containing naphthalene and amino acid units were synthesized. The binding properties for amino acid anions were examined by the fluorescence and ¹H NMR spectra. The results indicated good enantioselectivity of 1 toward the N-protected phenylalanine anions.     

Paper-based fluorescent devices for multifunctional assays: Biomarkers detection,inhibitors screening and chiral recognition

The development of a single analytical platform with different functions is highly desirable but remains a challenge at present. Here, a paper-based device based on fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) functionalized paper/MnO₂ nanosheets (MnO₂ NS) hybrid devices (PCD/NS) was proposed for single-device multi-function applications. MnO₂ NS functioned as a fluorescence quencher of CDs and recognizer of H₂O₂ released from the oxidase catalyzed system. Fluorescence recovery would occur after the decomposition of MnO₂ NS induced by H₂O₂, by which a simple and effective strategy could be developed for fluorescence monitoring multiplex biological events. Xanthine (XA) sensing, xanthine oxidase (XOD) inhibitors screening analysis and chiral recognition of glucose enantiomers were performed on PCD/NS to investigate the multifunctional application of the paper-based device. By means of PCD/NS, XA could be determined in the range of 0.1–40 µmol/L with a low detection of limit of 0.06 µmol/L. The IC₅₀ value of allopurinol, the model inhibitor of XOD, was sensitively detected to be 7.4 µmol/L. Glucose enantiomers were also recognized in terms of the specific fluorescence response to d-glucose. This work firstly presented a paper-based device capable of biomarkers detection, inhibitors screening and chiral recognition, which enlightened a promising strategy for the construction of multifunctional devices and hold the great potential application in clinical diagnosis and drug discovery.     

Enantioselective chromatography: Selection of chiral recognition models

In this brief overview diverse chiral recognition models and chiral host-guest (selector-selectand, SO-SA) relationships which are used in enantioselective chromatography are discussed. In particular it is focussed on aspects of chiral interactions on (a) small molecular brush type chiral stationary phases (CSPs) and on (b) biopolymer and synthetic polymer type CSPs. The importance and the great variability of intermolecular SO-SA bindings via complementary contact sites, also in connection with molecule conformations, is stressed. Some representative and selected examples of chromatographic enantioseparations are presented.     

Enantioselective fluorescent recognition of mandelic acid by unsymmetrical salalen and salan sensors

As sensors with multiple chiral centers, salalen 1 and salan 2 composed of trans-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine (trans-DACH) and 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol (BINOL) units were designed and synthesized. Fluorescent recognition studies of resulting sensors towards mandelic acid (MA) reveal that salan 2a containing (R)-BINOL and (R,R)-DACH exhibits highly sensitive and enantioselective response towards MA. The relationship between the chirality combination and the enantioselectivity is discussed. Based on the studies of concentration and solvent effect on the recognition process of 2a, it was found that the sensitivity and enantioselectivity could be enhanced via changing the concentration of sensors or altering the polarity of solvents. To explain why higher enantioselectivity can be achieved in moderate polar solvent other than in nonpolar or polar solvent, a solvent-guest competition mechanism, which may shed a light on the enhancement of the enantioselectivity of chiral recognition and noncovalent asymmetric catalysis, has been proposed and validated.     

A novel chiral terpyridine macrocycle as a fluorescent sensor for enantioselective recognition of amino acid derivatives

Terpyridine macrocycle 1 is shown to be a strong chelating agent for organic ammonium salts and also a useful chromophore in fluorescent sensing. It exhibits very good enantioselectivity (K(obs)(S)/K(obs)(R)= 3.8) in chiral discrimination of alpha-phenylglycine methyl ester hydrochloride (PhEtOMe).     

A new supported catalyst for methanol oxidation prepared by a reverse micelles method

Carbon supported platinum–ruthenium alloy catalyst prepared by reverse micelles method for was proposed. The particle size and morphology of catalyst were determined by XRD and TEM and found to be homogeneously dispersed on carbon support with narrow particle size distribution. The performance of the Pt–Ru/C catalyst was tested by cyclic voltammogram and galvanostatic polarization experiments in 1 M sulfuric acid with 2 M methanol solution at room temperature and showed a higher catalytic activity when compared with the standard Pt–Ru/C (E-TEK) catalyst.     

Enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes induced by a new chiral Ti(IV) catalyst

A new chiral titanium reagent, derived from optically active trans-1,2-dicamphorsulfonamidocyclohexane 2a and Ti(OⁱPr)₄, was found to promote the enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to various aldehydes giving rise to the corresponding alcohols in high yields with moderate to high selectivity.     

Enantioselective fluorescent recognition of chiral acids by 3- and 3,3′-aminomethyl substituted BINOLs

Benzylaminomethyl groups are introduced to the 3,3′-positions of BINOL. The resulting compounds can be used to conduct the enantioselective fluorescent recognition of mandelic acid and N-benzyloxycarbonylphenylglycine. In the presence of (S)-mandelic acid, compound (R)-2 showed over 30-fold fluorescence enhancement with the ef [ef=enantiomeric fluorescence difference ratio=(I_S−I₀)/(I_R−I₀)] up to 4.2. In the presence of d-N-benzyloxycarbonylphenylglycine, compound (RR)-4 showed up to 15-fold fluorescence enhancement with the ef up to 5.0. These high fluorescence sensitivity and enantioselectivity make compounds (R)-2 and (RR)-4 practically useful sensors for the recognition of the chiral acids in apolar solvents.     

Highly enantioselective fluorescent recognition of mandelic acid derivatives by chiral salen macrocycles

Calixarene-like chiral salen macrocycles can be used for the enantioselective fluorescent recognition of mandelic acid derivatives. It was observed that one enantiomer of mandelic acid causes a 28-fold increase in the fluorescence intensity of a chiral salen macrocycle, whereas the other enantiomer causes only a 14-fold fluorescence enhancement. This highly enantioselective fluorescent response makes chiral salen macrocycles useful for the enantioselective fluorescent recognition of some mandelic acid derivatives.     

Micro-X-ray fluorescence as a general high-throughput screening method for catalyst discovery and small molecule recognition

A powerful high-throughput screening technique is described for the rapid screening of bead-based libraries for catalyst discovery and molecular recognition. Micro-X-ray fluorescence (MXRF) screens materials for elemental composition with mesoscale analysis. This method is nondestructive and requires minimal sample preparation and no special tags for analysis, and the screening time is dependent on the desired sensitivity. The speed, sensitivity, and simplicity of MXRF as a high-throughput screening technique were applied to screen bead-based libraries of oligopeptides for phosphate hydrolysis catalysts and molecular recognition of selective receptors for the degradation products and analogues of chemical warfare agents. This paper demonstrates the analytical or HTS capability of MXRF for combinatorial screening. It is meant only to show the capabilities of MXRF and is not meant as an exhaustive study of the catalyst and molecular recognition systems presented.     

Enantioselective fluorescent sensor for dibenzoyl tartrate anion based on chiral binaphthyl derivatives bearing an amino acid unit

The fluorescent photoinduced electron transfer (PET) chemosensors 1–3 based on (S)-1,1′-bi-2-naphthol were designed for their recognition of dibenzoyl tartrate anions. The binding properties for hydroxy acid anions were examined by the fluorescence and ¹H NMR spectra. The results indicated that receptor 1 exhibit excellent enantioselectivity toward the enantiomers of dibenzoyl tartrate anion.     

Enantioselective alkylation using a new C3 symmetric amine-based chiral phase-transfer catalyst

A new C₃ symmetric amine-based chiral phase-transfer catalyst was synthesized. Application of the chiral PTC (1 mol%) in the alkylation of a tert-butyl glycinate-benzophenone Schiff base under mild reaction conditions provided an alkylated product with up to 58% enantiomeric excess.     

Enantioselective oxidation of di-tert-butyl disulfide with a vanadium catalyst: progress toward mechanism elucidation

The mechanism of the oxidation of di-tert-butyl disulfide (1) to the chiral thiosulfinate (2) by H(2)O(2) catalyzed by bis(acetylacetonato)oxovanadium and a chiral Schiff-base ligand (3) has been investigated. Techniques included (51)V NMR spectroscopy, solvent effects on reaction enantioselectivity, and the isolation and full characterization of a 2:1 ligand-to-vanadium catalyst precursor. A model for the dramatic solvent effect on the enantioselectivity of this reaction was developed, based on the identification of a competing nonselective oxidation pathway. From this model, strategies for limiting this competing pathway were developed.     

Enantioselective liquid-solid extraction for screening of structurally related chiral stationary phases

Summary An enantioselective liquid-solid batch extraction method is described for the screening of novel chiral stationary phases (CSPs) during optimization studies of chiral selectors derived form a common lead structure. Extraction enantioselectivity (α) values can be calculated from the enantiomeric excess ee-values of the selectand, which are measured in the liquid phase by enantioselective HPLC. Extraction α-values have been correlated with chromatographic α-values. The influence was studied of several experimental parameters of the assay (pH_a, buffer concentration, temperature, selector/selectand and phase ratio) on the enantiomeric excess (ee) values of the selectands and the enantioselectivity of the CSPs, respectively. The derived statistically significant model has then been implemented to predict chromatographic α-values of novel CSPs. For example, an ee of 89.3% for DNB-Leu as selectand could be achieved in batch extraction for a novel synthesized but mechanistically similarly-acting CSP derived form quinine. This corresponds to a calculated extraction α-value of 17.7. Based on this α_extraction a chromatographic α-value of 28.8 was predicted by the linear correlation model; the experimental HPLC α-value of 31.7 was in good agreement and demonstrated the validity of the proposed screening method. The method is particularly helpful in SO optimization studies.     

A new type of boronic acid fluorescent reporter compound for sugar recognition

Fluorescent boronic acids that change fluorescent properties upon carbohydrate binding are very useful for the preparation of fluorescent sensors for sugars. Herein we report 5-quinolineboronic acid (5-QBA) that shows significant fluorescent property changes through a unique pK_a-switching mechanism upon binding a diol in aqueous solution.