Cation-induced enhanced enantioselective recognition by a chiral covalent-organic framework

Abstract Chirality plays a pivotal role in the properties of biologically active molecules, with enantiomers exhibiting divergent pharmacological and toxicological profiles. Enantioselective recognition is thus crucial in drug development, asymmetric synthesis, and environmental monitoring. Luminesc...

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Main Authors: Zongsu Han, Tiankai Sun, Peng Cheng, Wei Shi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Communications Chemistry
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-025-01605-z
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author Zongsu Han
Tiankai Sun
Peng Cheng
Wei Shi
author_facet Zongsu Han
Tiankai Sun
Peng Cheng
Wei Shi
author_sort Zongsu Han
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Chirality plays a pivotal role in the properties of biologically active molecules, with enantiomers exhibiting divergent pharmacological and toxicological profiles. Enantioselective recognition is thus crucial in drug development, asymmetric synthesis, and environmental monitoring. Luminescence sensing has emerged as a powerful strategy for enantioselective recognition due to its fast response and visual readout capabilities. Covalent-organic frameworks (COFs) offer a promising platform for such applications by combining structural robustness, modular functionality, and inherent porosity. However, achieving both high enantioselectivity and quantitative sensing within a single system remains highly challenging. Herein, we present a cation-induced strategy for enantioselective sensing using a terbium-loaded chiral COF, Tb@CD-COF. Through a facile cation exchange of piperazine cations of CD-COF with Tb3+ ions, we revealed a synergistic integration of cation-enhanced luminescence and chiral cavity-based enantioselective recognition mechanism. Tb@CD-COF demonstrates visually discernible colorimetric responses and quantitative enantiomer discrimination, offering a robust and efficient platform for advanced enantioselective sensing applications.
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spelling doaj-art-2d4cf5f5790946b39b8621eeb783af6d2025-08-20T04:01:53ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Chemistry2399-36692025-07-01811710.1038/s42004-025-01605-zCation-induced enhanced enantioselective recognition by a chiral covalent-organic frameworkZongsu Han0Tiankai Sun1Peng Cheng2Wei Shi3Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Power Sources, and Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (MOE), College of Chemistry, Nankai UniversityFrontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Power Sources, and Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (MOE), College of Chemistry, Nankai UniversityFrontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Power Sources, and Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (MOE), College of Chemistry, Nankai UniversityFrontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Power Sources, and Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (MOE), College of Chemistry, Nankai UniversityAbstract Chirality plays a pivotal role in the properties of biologically active molecules, with enantiomers exhibiting divergent pharmacological and toxicological profiles. Enantioselective recognition is thus crucial in drug development, asymmetric synthesis, and environmental monitoring. Luminescence sensing has emerged as a powerful strategy for enantioselective recognition due to its fast response and visual readout capabilities. Covalent-organic frameworks (COFs) offer a promising platform for such applications by combining structural robustness, modular functionality, and inherent porosity. However, achieving both high enantioselectivity and quantitative sensing within a single system remains highly challenging. Herein, we present a cation-induced strategy for enantioselective sensing using a terbium-loaded chiral COF, Tb@CD-COF. Through a facile cation exchange of piperazine cations of CD-COF with Tb3+ ions, we revealed a synergistic integration of cation-enhanced luminescence and chiral cavity-based enantioselective recognition mechanism. Tb@CD-COF demonstrates visually discernible colorimetric responses and quantitative enantiomer discrimination, offering a robust and efficient platform for advanced enantioselective sensing applications.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-025-01605-z
spellingShingle Zongsu Han
Tiankai Sun
Peng Cheng
Wei Shi
Cation-induced enhanced enantioselective recognition by a chiral covalent-organic framework
Communications Chemistry
title Cation-induced enhanced enantioselective recognition by a chiral covalent-organic framework
title_full Cation-induced enhanced enantioselective recognition by a chiral covalent-organic framework
title_fullStr Cation-induced enhanced enantioselective recognition by a chiral covalent-organic framework
title_full_unstemmed Cation-induced enhanced enantioselective recognition by a chiral covalent-organic framework
title_short Cation-induced enhanced enantioselective recognition by a chiral covalent-organic framework
title_sort cation induced enhanced enantioselective recognition by a chiral covalent organic framework
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-025-01605-z
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AT tiankaisun cationinducedenhancedenantioselectiverecognitionbyachiralcovalentorganicframework
AT pengcheng cationinducedenhancedenantioselectiverecognitionbyachiralcovalentorganicframework
AT weishi cationinducedenhancedenantioselectiverecognitionbyachiralcovalentorganicframework