Enantiomer-Specific Analysis Using Cryogenic Ion Vibrational Action Spectroscopy

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Knut R. Asmis
• Subject Area: Physical Chemistry of Molecules, Liquids and Interfaces, Biophysical Chemistry
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 544081828

We propose to develop and refine a fast, generally applicable mass spectrometry-based method for the enantiomer-specific differentiation and quantification of chiral ionic analytes in solution. The method relies on efficiently transferring the ionic analytes to the gas phase, subsequently forming diastereomeric complexes with a volatile chiral selector at room temperature and then quantifying them using differences in their IR fingerprints obtained by cryogenic ion vibrational action spectroscopy. We propose to characterize volatile selectors for chiral amino acids, to evaluate the feasibility of fast enantiomeric excess (EE) determination for more complex analytes and to characterize proline-catalyzed aldol reactions enantio-specifically. Beside the determination of the EE of enantiomeric mixtures in less than a few minutes, the proposed research plan is also aimed at gaining molecular-level insights into the mechanism of chirality recognition.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants