RNA nucleosides as chiral sensing agents in NMR spectroscopy.

The study reports chiral sensing properties of RNA nucleosides. Adenosine, guanosine, uridine and cytidine are used as chiral derivatizing agents to differentiate chiral 1°-amines. A three component protocol has been adopted for complexation of nucleosides and amines. The chiral differentiating ability of nucleosides is examined for different amines based on the (1)H NMR chemical shift differences of diastereomers (Δδ(R,S)). Enantiomeric differentiation has been observed at multiple chemically distinct proton sites. Adenosine and guanosine exhibit large chiral differentiation (Δδ(R,S)) due to the presence of a purine ring. The diastereomeric excess (de) measured by using adenosine is in good agreement with the gravimetric values.