Author: ["N. Micali","H. Engelkamp","P. G. van Rhee","P. C. M. Christianen","L. Monsù Scolaro","J. C. Maan"]
CITE.CC academic search helps you expand the influence of your papers.
Abstract
Many essential biological molecules exist only in one of two possible mirror-image structures, either because they possess a chiral unit or through their structure (helices, for example, are intrinsically chiral), but so far the origin of this homochirality has not been unraveled. Here we demonstrate that the handedness of helical supramolecular aggregates formed by achiral molecules can be directed by applying rotational, gravitational and orienting forces during the self-assembly process. In this system, supramolecular chirality is determined by the relative directions of rotation and magnetically tuned effective gravity, but the magnetic orientation of the aggregates is also essential. Applying these external forces only during the nucleation step of the aggregation is sufficient to achieve chiral selection. This result shows that an almost instantaneous chiral perturbation can be transferred and amplified in growing supramolecular self-assemblies, and provides evidence that a falsely chiral influence is able to induce absolute enantioselection. It is shown here that the proper combination of physical forces can induce chirality during the self-assembly of achiral molecules. Rotation and effective gravity created by high magnetic fields during the nucleation phase, together with the magnetic alignment of the nanoaggregates initially formed, control the enantioselectivity of porphyrin assemblies. Cite this article
Micali, N., Engelkamp, H., van Rhee, P. et al. Selection of supramolecular chirality by application of rotational and magnetic forces. Nature Chem 4, 201–207 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.1264 