Polyurea With L ‐Lysinyl Residues as Components: Application to Membrane Separation of Enantiomers

Novel polyureas are synthesized from lysinyl residues. The polyurea thus prepared yields a durable self‐standing membrane that can be converted into a molecular recognition material by using Z‐ D ‐Glu or Z‐ L ‐Glu as a print molecule. The Z‐ D ‐Glu molecularly imprinted membrane adsorbes the D ‐isomer of Glu in preference to the corresponding L ‐Glu and vice versa. Even though the polyurea consists of L ‐lysinyl residues, both Z‐ D ‐Glu and Z‐ L ‐Glu work as print molecules to construct molecular (chiral) recognition sites in the membrane. Those molecularly imprinted membranes show chiral separation abilities when a concentration gradient or an applied potential difference is applied as a driving force for membrane transport.