Natural amino acids are well known to form coordination polymers with transition metal ions. In this study, six homochiral metal-organic frameworks constructed from Zn or Co ions and various enantiopure amino acid (L-tyrosine, L-histidine, L-tryptophan and L-glutamic acid), namely [Zn(L-tyr)] (L-tyrZn), [Zn (btc) (Hbtc)(L-His) (H O) ]·1.5H O, {[Zn (L-trp) (bpe) (H O) ]·2H O·2NO } , [Co (L-Trp)(INT) (H O) (ClO )], [Co (sdba)((L-Trp) ] and [Co(L-Glu)(H O)·H O] , were synthesized according to the methods previously reported in the literature. The six homochiral MOFs were explored as the chiral stationary phases for high-performance liquid chromatographic separation of enantiomers using hexane/isopropanol or hexane/dichloromethane as mobile phase. Various types of enantiomers such as alcohols, amines, ketones, ethers, organic acids, etc. can be resolved on these homochiral MOF columns. The results revealed that the enantioseletivities of homochiral MOFs based on amino acids as chiral bridging ligands used as stationary phases are practical in HPLC.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of novel porous materials consisting of clusters or chains of metal ions and organic linkers. The chiral MOF [Cd(LTP)] (LTP = l(-)-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid) possesses infinite extension three-dimensional supramolecular reticular structure with right-handed helix. In this work, three capillary columns (A, B and C) containing MOF [Cd(LTP)], permethylated β-cyclodextrin (CD) and sodium chloride, and MOF [Cd(LTP)] and permethylated β-CD, respectively, have been prepared and their respective enantioseparation abilities have been investigated. The polarities of all of the MOFs and permethylated β-CDs are moderate. The numbers of theoretical plates (plate m) of the three columns have been measured using n-dodecane at 120°C, which followed an increasing order of A (3100) < B (3800) < C (4300). Some racemates were separated with different resolutions on Columns A, B and C. The results indicated that the incorporated MOF [Cd(LTP)] enhanced the separations of racemates on a permethylated β-CD stationary phase with high column efficiency and good reproducibility in gas chromatography.