Enantioseparation via Chiral Supramolecular Gels Comprising Ambidextrous Gelators Based on β‐Peptide‐type Primary Amines

Abstract

While β‐peptides have been paid attention due to their diverse secondary structures, their application to the design of low‐molecular‐weight gelators (LMWGs) is less explored. In this work, chiral cyclic β‐amino acid‐based β‐peptides were developed as ambidextrous LMWGs, wherein multiple hydrogen bonds between the amide moieties led to high gelation ability. Their molecular assembly was elucidated using spectroscopies, microscopy, and X‐ray analysis. Further, the supramolecular gel was used as a platform for the enantioselective extraction of (S)‐naproxen from its racemate under optimized conditions. These findings have expanded the utility of β‐peptides and shown the potential of supramolecular gels as a distinct dynamic medium for enantiomer separation.