Extension of chromatographically derived chiral recognition systems to chiral recognition and enantiomer analysis by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Chiral recognition by positive ion electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry is demonstrated through the adaptation of chromatographically derived chiral recognition systems. Solutions of soluble analogues of chiral selectors used in Pirkle-type chiral stationary phases, when mixed with a chiral analyte, whose enantiomers are known to be resolved on the analogous chiral stationary phase, are shown to afford selector–analyte complexes in the mass spectrum. Pseudo-enantiomeric chiral selectors, where each pseudo-enantiomer has a different mass and a higher affinity for the opposite analyte enantiomer of its pseudo-antipode, were prepared. When mixed with a chiral analyte, solutions of these pseudo-enantiomeric selectors afford selector–analyte complexes in the ESI-mass spectrum where the relative intensities of the selector–analyte complexes are dependent on the enantiomeric composition of the analyte. Additionally, the sense of the observed chiral recognition is in agreement with the sense of chiral recognition observed chromatographically.