Chen-Guang Hu

Synthesis and Chiral Recognition Properties of Novel Fluorescent Chemosensors for Amino Acid

The charge neutral chiral optical sensors 1a∼d containing thiourea and amide groups were synthesized by simple steps in good yields and their structures were characterized by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, MS spectra and elemental analysis. The enantioselective recognition for α-phenylglycine and phenylglycinol was examined by fluorescence emission and UV-vis spectra. The fluorescence and UV-vis spectra changes of 1a were obvious when the enantiomers of α-phenylglycine anion were added, which exhibited that 1a has good enantioselective recognition ability towards α-phenylglycine.

Synthesis and Chiral Recognition Properties of a Novel Colorimetric Chiral Sensor for Carboxylic Anions

Chiral colorimetric sensor 4 has been synthesized, and the structure characterized by IR and 1H NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis. The chiral recognition of the receptor was studied by 1H NMR and UV-vis spectroscopy. The results of non-linear curve fitting indicate that the receptor 4 and l- or d-mandelate and alanine anions form a 1:1 stoichiometric complex. The obvious colour change of receptor 4 can be observed by the naked eye when the enantiomers of mandelate and alanine anions are added, which demonstrates that receptor 4 may be used as the colorimetric sensor for the two carboxylic anions.

Highly selective fluorescent recognition of amino alcohol based on chiral calix[4]arenes bearing L-tryptophan unit

Four two-armed chiral calix[4]arenes (1a–1d) functionalised at the lower ring with amino acid units have been synthesised and the structures of these compounds were characterised by IR, MS, 1H NMR, 13C NMR spectra and elemental analysis. Their molecular recognition abilities towards amino alcohol were examined by fluorescence titration experiment in three kinds of solution. The results indicated that these receptors exhibited excellent fluorescent response to phenylglycinol and could distinguish phenylglycinol from phenylalaninol rapidly through the obvious difference in the fluorescent response. Solvent comparative experiments also indicated that acetonitrile was the best solvent to detect these phenomena.