Preparation and applications of metal–organic frameworks in chiral chromatographic separation.

Separating pure enantiomers from racemates has long been a challenging and significant task across various scientific disciplines of biology, medicine, and chemistry. Over the past two decades, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as one of the most sought-after materials, showcasing unparalleled advantages in various applications. Chiral MOFs, in particular, have garnered increasing attention in enantiomeric separation. Unlike conventional materials, MOFs offer greater potential for achieving enantiomeric separation in chromatographic techniques due to their customizable chiral structures and adjustable pore environments. In this review, we aim to outline the remarkable progress and achievements of MOFs as stationary phases in the field of chromatographic enantiomeric separation including gas chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, and capillary electrochromatography. The discussions about MOF synthesis, column packing strategy, and MOF-based column performance, will improve our understanding about the design, immobilization, and separation mechanism for the MOF stationary phase. In addition, we explore the benefits, constraints, and future possibilities of these applications. • The preparation, column packing, and applications of MOF-based stationary phases in chiral chromatography were reviewed. • Gas chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, and capillary electrochromatography were presented. • Based on the chiral centers in MOFs, the principles and precautions for MOF-based stationary phase designing were summarized. • Various mechanisms and factors in enantiomeric separation for MOF-based chiral chromatographic columns were discussed. • The key limitations and potential directions for the future evolution of chiral MOF-based stationary phases were outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]