Cavity-enhanced fourier transform spectroscopy for chiral analysis
AssigneeUniversity of Virginia Patent Foundation
InventorBrooks Hart Pate
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A chiral molecule can be defined as a molecule that has a non-superimposable mirror image. These mirror images can be referred to as enantiomers. The enantiomers generally have the same set of bond lengths and bond angles in their three-dimensional geometry. Apparatus and techniques described herein can be used to perform analysis of chiral molecules using cavity-enhanced molecular rotational spectroscopy. A sample cell can define a resonant cavity, and a sample introduction port can provide pulse-jet injection of an analyte molecule and a chiral tag to allow analysis of a complex comprising the analyte and chiral tag.
Claims20
A method of analyzing a chiral analyte having an unknown enantiomeric composition, comprising:
- providing a chiral tag having a specified enantiomeric composition;
- injecting the chiral analyte and the chiral tag into a sample cell, the chiral tag bonding to the chiral analyte to form a diastereomeric complex;
- determining a molecular rotational resonance (MRR) spectrum of the diastereomeric complex;
- and
- determining at least one of an absolute configuration of the chiral analyte or an enantiomeric excess of the chiral analyte based at least in part on the MRR spectrum of the diastereomeric complex.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a sample cell;
- a first input port, in fluid communication with the sample cell, to admit a first diastereomeric complex comprising a chiral analyte and a racemic mixture of a chiral tag into the sample cell for a first measurement;
- a second input port, in fluid communication with the sample cell, to admit a second diastereomeric complex comprising the chiral analyte and an enantiopure mixture of the chiral tag into the sample cell for a second measurement;
- a source, electrically coupled to the sample cell, to electrically excite contents of the sample cell with a pulse of radiation;
- and
- a receiver, electrically coupled to the sample cell, to detect a response from the contents of the sample cell to the pulse of radiation.
A method of measuring enantiomeric excess of a chiral analyte of unknown enantiomeric composition, the method comprising:
- obtaining a molecular rotational resonance (MRR) spectrum of a first sample of the chiral analyte and a racemic mixture of a chiral tag;
- obtaining an MRR spectrum of a second sample of the chiral analyte and an enantiopure form of the chiral tag;
- and
- determining the enantiomeric excess of the chiral analyte based on the MRR spectrum of the first sample of the chiral analyte and the racemic mixture of the chiral tag and on the MRR spectrum of the second sample of the chiral analyte and the enantiopure form of the chiral tag.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.