METHOD FOR DETECTION AND SEPARATION OF ENANTIOMERS USING VESICLE-LIKE NANOSTRUCTURES SELF-ASSEMBLED FROM JANUS NANOPARTICLES

Background

Something that is chiral cannot be superposed over its mirror image, no matter how it is shifted (ex. our hands). These two mirror images, called enantiomers, rotate plane-polarized light in opposite directions.

Chiral nanostructures have unique materials properties that can be used in many applications. In pharmaceutical research and development, chiral analysis is critical, as one enantiomer may be more effective than the other. Researchers at UC Santa Cruz have developed new ways of performing enantiomeric analyses using the plasmonic circular dichroism absorption qualities of nanostructures. 

Technology Description

The technology and methods are based on the observation that gold Janus nanoparticles, with hydrophobic hexanethiolates and hydrophilic 3-mercapto-1,2-propanediol ligands segregated on the two hemispheres of the metal cores, self-assembled into vesicle-like hollow nanostructures without needing any chiral templates or scaffolds.

The Janus nanoparticles themselves are achiral, but the hollow nanoparticle ensembles they self-assemble into show plasmonic circular dichroism absorption. Experiments with alanine showed that the Janus nanoparticle ensembles showed high enantioselectivity towards D-alanine, rather than L-alanine, as shown by circular dichroism measurements. The high enantioselectivity property may be used in diverse applications.

Applications

• enantiomeric analysis
• sensing
• catalysis
• optoelectronic devices
• pharmaceutical research and analysis

Advantages

• eliminates need for chiral templates or scaffolds

Intellectual Property Information

Related Materials

• Plasmonic circular dichroism of vesicle-like nanostructures by the template-less self-assembly of achiral Janus nanoparticles - 07/03/2018