New patent application published for: PLANAR CHIRAL METALLOPOLYMER, METHOD OF PREPARING THE SAME, ELECTRODE, AND METHOD FOR ELECTROCHEMICAL ENANTIOSELECTIVE SEPARATION

Disclosed herein are planar chiral metallopolymers, methods of preparation thereof, electrodes including the same, and methods for electrochemical enantioselective separation. The planar chiral metallopolymer includes a polymer backbone and a plurality of planar chiral metallocene units, each having both planar chirality and point chirality conferred by two distinct functional groups attached to adjacent positions on a cyclopentadienyl ring. The metallopolymer is prepared by ortho-lithiation of a 1-substituted metallocene compound, followed by reaction with an electrophile to generate a 1,2-disubstituted metallocene monomer, which is subsequently polymerized. An electrode for electrochemical enantioselective separation is formed by disposing the planar chiral metallopolymer on an electrically conductive support, wherein the combination of planar and point chirality enables selective binding of one enantiomer upon electrochemical oxidation. A method of enantioselective separation utilizes the electrode by applying an oxidation potential or current to a solution containing a racemic mixture of a chiral target molecule.