Chiral ordered mesoporous silica (COMS) was synthesized
in the
presence of amino acid proline by combining tetraethyl orthosilicate
and quaternized aminosilane silica sources. The as-prepared materials
were activated by calcination or microwave chemical extraction to
remove the organic templates. The powder X-ray diffraction and N2 adsorption characterization revealed in COMS the structural
and textural features of MCM-41-type silica. The chirality of the
material was disclosed by mixed and separate l- and d-proline adsorption on the COMS prepared with l-proline
(l-Pro-COMS) and d-proline (d-Pro-COMS).
It was found that the maximum l-proline and d-proline
adsorption capacities on l-Pro-COMS were ca. 2.3 and 0.6
mmol/g, respectively, while the adsorption of d-proline was
higher than that of l-proline on d-Pro-COMS. Finally,
both activation routes yielded enantioselective silicas able to separate
proline racemate.