Chiral Autocatalysis and Mirror Symmetry Breaking

• Published in: Catalysis letters Vol. 148; no. 6; pp. 1610 - 1621
• Main Authors: Gellman, Andrew J., Ernst, Karl-Heinz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-06-2018; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Autocatalysis; Broken symmetry; Catalysis; Catalysts; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Crystallites; Enantiomers; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Organometallic Chemistry; Perspective; Physical Chemistry; Reaction kinetics; Selectivity; Self-assembly; Mirror symmetry breaking; Enantioselectivity; Surface explosion; Chirality; Chiral amplification; Autocatalysis; Sergeants-and-soldiers
• ISSN: 1011-372X; 1572-879X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10562-018-2380-x

Highly enantioselective production of chiral compounds by chiral catalysis is one of the most challenging forms of catalytic selectivity. In this perspective, we argue by examples that the key to achieving high enantioselectivity lies in processes with non-linear kinetics or equilibria that effectively amplify small differences in enantiospecific energetics. Examples of such processes have been uncovered over the past decade and include autocatalysis, surface explosion reactions, stirring or grinding of crystallites, and cooperative self-assembly.
Graphical Abstract