alpha-Helical peptide vesicles with chiral membranes as enantioselective nanoreactors

Abstract

We report peptide vesicles with chiral membranes as enantioselective nanoreactors. The peptide vesicles are able to selectively encapsulate only a single enantiomer from a racemic mixture solution through preferential diffusion across the membranes. Notably, the confined space of the vesicle acts as an enantioselective nanoreactor for the encapsulated enantiomer which undergoes further chemical transformations to yield a highly enantiopure product.