A convenient fluorescent method to simultaneously determine the enantiomeric composition and concentration of functional chiral amines.

A 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol (BINOL)-based chiral aldehyde in combination with Zn(II) shows a highly enantioselective fluorescent response toward functional chiral amines at λ>500 nm. However, the combination of salicylaldehyde and Zn(II) gives the same fluorescent enhancement for both enantiomers of a functional chiral amine at λ=447 nm. By using the fluorescent responses of the combination of the BINOL-based chiral aldehyde, salicylaldehyde and Zn(II) at the two emission wavelengths, both the concentration and enantiomeric composition of functional chiral amines such as amino alcohols, diamines, and amino acids can be simultaneously determined by a single fluorescent measurement. This work provides a simple and convenient method for chiral assay.