Theory and Applications of Kinetic Method for Chiral Recognition and Enantiomeric Excess Measurement

Chiral recognition of enantiomers was achieved by kinetic method. Transition metal bound complex ions containing the chiral analyte and chiral selector were generated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and subjected to collision-induced dissociations. The ratio of the two competitive dissociation rates was related to the absolute configuration of the chiral analyte, and that was the basis for both chiral recognition and enantiomeric excess measurement. The structures of the fragment Cu²⁺ complexes were discussed in the light of the CID behavior of related compounds. The interactions within these ions that might contribute to chiral recognition were rationalized to account for the observed chiral effects. Recently, the analytes utilized by the kinetic method were extended to amino acids, chiral drugs and sugars. The theory of kinetic method used and its major applications in the field of chiral analysis were reviewed.