Abstract:
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates with intended surface modification were developed for enantiomeric analysis by taking the consideration of asymmetric electric field and molecular interaction between a probe molecule and enantiomeric analyte. In the first study, discrimination between enantiomers is achieved by performing tip-enhanced Raman scattering using a silver tip which is chemically modified by an achiral para-mercaptopyridine (pMPY) probe molecule. The different relative intensities of the pMPY spectra were obtained when three pairs of enantiomers containing hydroxy and/or amino groups were used as analytes. Enantiomeric discrimination can be attained by the asymmetric electric field of the tip apex co-existed with the molecular orientation induced by hydrogen-bond interaction between analyte and probe molecules. In the second study, the chemically modified SERS substrates with various functional groups of thiophenol-based molecules including para-aminothiophenol (pATP), para-mercaptobenzoic acid (pMBA), pMPY, and ortho-mercaptopyridine (oMPY), can provide the specific efficiency on degree of discrimination due to their differences in chemical affinity and molecular orientation when their functional groups induce the hydrogen bonding with hydroxy (−OH) groups of enantiomeric alcohols, i.e., 1-Phenyl-2-propanol (1P2P) and 2-Phenyl-1-propanol (2P1P). For determining the extensive potential of this SERS method, two enantiomers of 2P1P can be differentiated even if their −OH groups are not at the chiral carbon. Its clear distinction in the degree of discrimination can be obtained due to vastly preferable interaction between the carboxylic group of pMPY and the −OH group of R-2P1P. The position of the nitrogen atom in pyridine ring of pMPY and oMPY is highly significant to discriminating enantiomers because of molecular interaction between the nitrogen atom and metal surface. Further investigation of other critical factors is still required to overcome the limitation of prior works and obtain a better understanding of the development of SERS for enantiomeric discrimination.