A chiral spirobifluorene-based bis(salen) zinc(ii) receptor towards highly enantioselective binding of chiral carboxylates.

We have designed a new chiral receptor based on two salen zinc(ii) complex units connected with a spirobifluorene framework. The chiral receptor is proven to enantioselectively bind chiral carboxylate guests and the differences between the binding constants of enantiomeric guests were up to more than one order of magnitude.