Recent Advances in Sensing Using Atropoisomeric Molecular Receptors

We describe recent advances in chiroptical chemical sensors, in which the design and implementation is based upon the introduction of atropoisomerically chiral moiety within the molecular skeleton. This report include examples of acyclic, macrocyclic, and polymeric receptors that contain this motif. Although the main applications are in the enantioselective sensing of analytes, we report here some cases where the chiral receptors can in fact be used to senseachiral species. Using circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy as the technique to detect a receptor-analyte interaction, we can distinguish two main sensor categories: that in which the CD signal of a stereolabile, CD-silent probe is activated upon binding, and that in which the signal of a CD-active probe is modulated upon binding. Particular emphasis will be given to cases in which CD spectroscopy is used orthogonally to other means of detection.