Nuclear
magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has long been utilized
as a classic method for chiral discrimination of enantiomers. However,
its sensitivity limitations have hindered the detection of analytes
at low concentrations. In this study, we present our efforts to overcome
this challenge by employing chiral NMR probes that are labeled with
a significant number of chemically equivalent 19F atoms.
Specifically, we have designed and synthesized three chiral palladium
pincer complexes, all of which are labeled with nonafluoro-tert-butoxy groups to enhance detectability. The recognition
of enantiomers with the probe induces distinct changes in microenvironments,
resulting in differential perturbations on the chemical shift of the 19F atoms in proximity. This method is applicable to the enantiodifferentiation
of various amines, amino alcohols, and amino acid esters. The abundance
of 19F atoms enables the detection of chiral analytes at
low concentrations, which is otherwise challenging to achieve through
traditional 1H NMR-based analysis. Two of the probes are
constructed with asymmetric pincer ligands with structurally varied
sidearms, allowing for facile manipulation of the chiral binding pocket.
The C2 symmetrical probe possesses 36 equivalent 19F atoms, enabling the determination of enantiocomposition of samples
with concentrations in the low micromolar range.