Chirality Discrimination at Binary Organic|Water Interfaces Monitored by Interfacial Tension Measurements with Preliminary Comparison with Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Chirality discrimination at a binary toluene (organic)/water(aqueous) interface between R- or S-Tol-BINAP (2,2 '-Bis(di-p-tolylphosphino)-1,1 '-binaphthyl) molecules and the water-soluble serine chiral specie is examined for the first time, using a combination of interfacial tension measurements and molecular dynamic simulations. Experimental interfacial measurements exhibit a clear chirality-controlled difference when a homochiral versus a heterochiral enantiomeric pairs are introduced at the interfaces. The related molecular dynamics simulations support the experimental results and provide further molecular insight of intermolecular interactions at the interfaces. The results indicate that interfacial tension measurements can capture the preferential interactions which exist between different pairs of enantiomers at the binary interfaces, opening up a new way for probing chirality discrimination at liquid-liquid interfaces.

Automated summary

Chirality discrimination between R- or S-Tol-BINAP molecules and water-soluble serine chiral specie at a binary toluene/water interface is investigated for the first time using experimental interfacial tension measurements and molecular dynamic simulations. The results show that interfacial tension measurements can capture the preferential interactions between different pairs of enantiomers at liquid-liquid interfaces, providing a new approach for probing chirality discrimination.