Enantioselective fluorescent recognition of amino alcohols by a chiral tetrahydroxyl 1,1'-binaphthyl compound.

The tetrahydroxyl derivative of BINOL, (S)- or (R)-1, and its analogues are synthesized. (S)- or (R)-1 can be used to conduct the enantioselective recognition of chiral amino alcohols. In comparison with BINOL, the two additional hydroxyl groups of (S)- or (R)-1 have increased the binding of this compound with the amino alcohols and significantly improved the fluorescence quenching efficiency. The fluorescence responses of (S)- or (R)-1 toward amino alcohols are compared with those of its analogues (R)-4 and (R)-6. It shows that the interaction of the central naphthyl hydroxyl groups of (S)- or (R)-1 with the substrates is responsible for the observed fluorescence quenching, and the two additional alkyl hydroxyl groups increase the quenching efficiency.