Chiral recognition at self-assembled multivalent (SAMul) nanoscale interfaces – enantioselectivity in polyanion binding

Abstract

Self-assembled multivalent (SAMul) ligands based on palmitic acid functionalised with cationic L/D-lysine bind polyanionic heparin or DNA with no chiral preference. Inserting a glycine spacer unit switches on chiral discrimination – a rare example of controlled chiral recognition at a SAMul nanoscale interface.