Chirality Sensing Based on Plasmon Resonance

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K20560
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Pioneering)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 34:Inorganic/coordination chemistry, analytical chemistry, and related fields
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Tatsuma Tetsu 東京大学, 生産技術研究所, 教授 (90242247)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-07-30 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: プラズモン共鳴 / キラリティ / 化学センサ / 金属ナノ粒子

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Some organic molecules have a property called chirality. These are molecules whose structures are mirrored, like the right hand and the left hand, and in many cases only one of them is useful in a living systems. For example, D-glutamate, the mirror image of L-glutamate, which is used as a seasoning, has no taste. The less useful one might even be toxic. Thus, it is important to distinguish between the mirror images. In this study, we developed a simple method to fabricate a sensor to distinguish them spectroscopically by irradiating circularly polarized light, whose wave propagates while rotating, and electrolytic synthesis, in which a reaction is proceeded by electricity.

Free Research Field

ナノ科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

キラリティを持つ分子の鏡像体を見分けるセンサを、より簡便に作れるようになると期待される。体内のほぼ全てのアミノ酸がL体のみからなること（ホモキラリティ）の理由がまだ解明されていないが、その解明などを含め、学術的な貢献につながると期待される。また、鏡像体を見分けるための新たなナノ材料につながる知見も得られたので、さらなる発展が期待される。