Cyclodextrin Derivatives as Chiral Supramolecular Receptors for Enantioselective Sensing

In view of the chiral nature of many bio-molecules (and all bio-macromolecules),most of therapeutically active compounds which target these molecules need to be chiraland “good handed” to be effective. In addition to asymmetric synthetic and separationmethodologies, enantioselective chemical sensors, able to distinguish between twoenantiomers of the same molecule, are of relevance. In order to design these sensing tools,two major classes of enantioselective layers have been developed. The first is based onmolecularly imprinted polymers which are produced (polymerized) in the presence of theirtarget, thus the polymeric material keep in “memory” the size and the shape of this moleculeand the system could be used for sensing (not reviewed here). The second approach makesuse of sensitive layers containing chiral macrocyclic receptors able of stereoselectivemolecular recognition; these receptors are mainly based on cyclodextrins. In thiscontribution, are reviewed achievements in the use of native or chemically modifiedcyclodextrins for chiral sensing purposes (at interfaces). Potentialities of other chiralmacrocycles based on calixarenes, calix-resorcinarenes or crown-ethers as supramolecularreceptors for enantioselective sensing are discussed.