Chiral molecular recognition in monolayers of diastereomeric N-acylamino acid methyl esters at the air/water interface

The effects of headgroup geometry and temperature on chiral molecular recognition in monolayers and mixed monolayers of long-chain amino acid ester surfactants are investigated. To this end, the hydroxyl group of stearoylserine methyl ester is substituted with a sulfhydryl function in stearoylcysteine methyl ester (SCME). The SCME is transformed by oxidation of the thiol functionality into the two-chain series of D-, L- and meso-dilauroylcystine dimethyl ester.