Enantioselective destruction of chiral molecules

Abstract

Methods and devices are disclosed for selective photo-destruction of one chiral enantiomer of a compound using nanostructures by enhancing differential absorption of circularly polarized light by the one chiral enantiomer. Methods and devices are disclosed for selective enrichment of one chiral enantiomer of a compound using nanostructures by enhancing differential absorption of circularly polarized light by the one chiral enantiomer. The nanostructures support optical frequency electric resonances and optical frequency magnetic resonances.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for selective photo-destruction of one chiral enantiomer of a compound, the method comprising:
 providing a solution comprising two chiral enantiomers of the compound;   adding a nanostructure to the solution;   irradiating the solution with a circularly polarized light in the UV range of the electromagnetic spectrum; and   exposing the solution to a local electric field and a local magnetic field, such that the circularly polarized light is differentially absorbed by the one chiral enantiomer, thereby achieving the selective photo-destruction of the one chiral enantiomer of the compound.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nanostructure supports optical frequency electric resonances and optical frequency magnetic resonances. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the nanostructure is excited with the circularly polarized light, thereby causing interference between the optical frequency electric resonances and optical frequency magnetic resonances. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claims 3 , wherein an amount of differential absorption of the circularly polarized light by the one chiral enantiomer and a rate of differential absorption of the circularly polarized light by the one chiral enantiomer are enhanced. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the amount of differential absorption of the circularly polarized light by the one chiral enantiomer is enhanced about 17-fold to about 510-fold. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the rate of differential absorption of the circularly polarized light by the one chiral enantiomer is enhanced about 2-fold to about 21-fold. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nanostructure is provided as an array or as a suspension. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selective photo-destruction is one of photolysis, photoionization, or another selective photo-chemical process. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nanostructure is a nanosphere, nanocylinder, nanoplate, nanoshell, nanorod, nanorice, nanofiber, nanowire, nanopyramid, nanoprism, nanostar, nanocrescent, nanoring, nanoantenna, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a size of the nanostructure ranges from about 1 nm to about 10,000 nm. 
     
     
         11 . A method for selective enrichment of one chiral enantiomer of a compound, the method comprising:
 providing a racemic solution comprising first and second chiral enantiomers of the compound;   adding a nanostructure to the solution;   irradiating the solution with a circularly polarized light in the UV range of the electromagnetic spectrum; and   exposing the solution to a local electric field and a local magnetic field, such that the circularly polarized light is differentially absorbed by the first chiral enantiomer, resulting in the selective photo-destruction of the first chiral enantiomer of the compound, thereby achieving enrichment of the second chiral enantiomer a compound.   
     
     
         12 . A device for selective photo-destruction of one chiral enantiomer of a compound, the device comprising an array of nanostructures, a suspension of nanostructures or a combination thereof; and a source of circularly polarized light in the UV range of the electromagnetic spectrum. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the nanostructures support optical frequency electric resonances and optical frequency magnetic resonances. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the nanostructures can be excited with the circularly polarized light, thereby causing interference between the optical frequency electric resonances and optical frequency magnetic resonances. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claims 14 , wherein an amount and a rate of differential absorption of the circularly polarized light by the one chiral enantiomer are enhanced. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the nanostructures are nanospheres, nanocylinders, nanoplates, nanoshells, nanorods, nanorices, nanofibers, nanowires, nanopyramids, nanoprisms, nanostars, nanocrescents, nanorings, nanoantennas, or a combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein a size of the nanostructure ranges from about 1 nm to about 10,000 nm. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein a number of nanostructures in the array ranges from about 1 to about 1×10e14. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein a concentration of nanostructures in the suspension ranges from about 1/μL to about 1×10e15/μL. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the selective photo-destruction of the one chiral enantiomer of the compound, and can result in the selective enrichment of the other chiral enantiomer of the compound.