Homochiral Crystalline Porous Materials for Enantioselective Applications

California State University-Long Beach Foundation, Long Beach CA

Investigators

Abstract

TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The proposed research, supported by the Solid State and Materials Chemistry program in the Division of Materials Research, aims to develop new synthetic methods for the creation of crystalline homochiral porous materials for enantioselective applications. While significant progress has been made in the synthesis of such materials by incorporating chiral structural building blocks, their synthesis from nonchiral building blocks remains challenging, and yet highly important. The proposed chirality induction method seeks to construct homochiral porous materials from diverse nonchiral building units while controlling absolute chirality by using inexpensive and often naturally occurring enantiopure chiral induction agents (CIA). The project will also study the metal-CIA interactions to uncover new mechanisms that can be utilized for the chirality and enantiopurity control. A range of low-cost organic and biomolecular CIAs will be studied under various synthetic conditions for their effects during crystallization of porous frameworks. New homochiral porous materials will be characterized by studying their crystal structures, porosity and surface area, thermal and chemical stability, and enantioselectivity. NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The proposed activity, conducted at a Primarily Undergraduate Institution, seeks to introduce new synthetic concepts and methods that can be employed to create homochiral porous materials as catalysts and adsorbents for the preparation of highly useful chemicals and pharmaceuticals. The proposed research integrates a variety of research activities ranging from chemical synthesis, self-assembly and crystal growth, to crystal structure analysis and property characterizations. It will lead to the creation of new functional materials with potential technological applications and a much-enhanced understanding of synthetic and structural chemistry of solid-state materials. The PI seeks to promote teaching and training of students by establishing a highly interesting and important research program and by developing the state-of-the-art synthetic and instrumental capability to broaden learning opportunities and participation of both undergraduate and graduate students with diverse cultural backgrounds.