Rapid and real-time detection of arginine enantiomers by QCM sensor having a Calix[4]arene receptor bearing asymmetric centers

This paper describes the sensing studies of a chiral calix[4]arene receptor (5) having (R)-2-phenylglycinol moiety for arginine enantiomers (D-/L-arginine) by using Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) technique. The initial experiments have revealed that the chiral calix[4]arene 5 coated QCM (CCC-QCM) sensor showed good sensing for arginine enantiomers, such that it has exhibited higher sensing towards D-arginine than that of L-arginine. It has been determined that the sensitivity, limit of detection values of CCC-QCM sensor for the D-/L-arginine solutions as 0.024/0.023 Hz/mu M and 0.38/1.29 mu M, respectively. On the other hand, the racemic mixture studies were optimized using the response surface methodology with central composite design. Consequently, it has been demonstrated that the QCM sensor modification with a calix[4]arene receptor bearing asymmetric centers provided rapid, real-time, sensitive and effective sensing of arginine enantiomers.