Active Sites in Stereoselective Adsorbents as Models of Drug Receptors and Enzyme Active Sites

Abstract

Abstract The treatment of quinine-selective adsorbents by steam, heat, in presence of water and by treatment with acid and dry organic solvents destroyed their selectivity whereas the adsorptive power of control adsorbents was almost unaffected by these treatments. A progressive increase in pH of the adsorbate solutions from pH 1 to 3 increased the adsorptive power of the selective adsorbents more than that of the control adsorbents. Increasing concentrations of sodium chloride in the adsorbate solutions increased the quinine-uptake on the adsorbents. Stereoselectivity is probably due to the formation of “footprints” in the surface of selective adsorbents. The similarities between the behaviour of active sites in biological surfaces and those in these stereoselective adsorbents are described.