Fluorescent recognition of l- and d-tryptophan in water by micelle probes

Abstract

A series of BINOL-based monoaldehydes have been designed and synthesized as fluorescent probes for L- and D-tryptophan. It is found that in the presence of a diblock copolymer PEG-PLLA, these probes can be encapsulated into micelles which in combination with Zn²⁺ have exhibited chemo- and enantioselective fluorescent enhancement with tryptophan in aqueous media.