Temperature-sensitive electrochemical recognition of tryptophan enantiomers based on β-cyclodextrin self-assembled on poly(L-glutamic acid).

A poly(l-glutamic acid)/β-cyclodextrin (P-l-Glu/β-CD)-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was prepared by electrochemical polymerization of l-glutamic acid on GCE and subsequent self-assembly of β-CD onto the obtained P-l-Glu. Electrochemical recognition of tryptophan (Trp) enantiomers with the P-l-Glu/β-CD was investigated by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and the results show that Trp enantiomers can be effectively recognized at the P-l-Glu/β-CD-modified GCE. It is also interesting to find that temperature plays a crucial role in the enantioselective recognition, which is evidenced by the variable-temperature UV spectra of the inclusion complexes of Trp enantiomers and β-CD. Under optimum conditions, the oxidation peak current ratio of l-Trp to d-Trp could reach 2.30, which is attributed to the stereoselectivity of β-CD to the enantiomeric pair of Trp.