Mechanism for the autocatalytic formation of optically active compounds under abiotic conditions

Bernard S. Green*, Lilly Heller

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

43 Scopus citations

Abstract

The bromination of chiral crystalline samples of 4,4′- dimethylchalcone was reinvestigated. In the presence of the optically active reaction product, (+)- or (-)-chalcone dibromide, crystallization from solutions of the achiral chalcone is specifically directed toward one-handedness. A feedback mechanism can thus be envisaged where optically active compounds are formed, generate additional material of the same chirality, and communicate this chirality to other regions, simply by cycles of solidification, reaction, and liquefaction.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)525-527
Number of pages3
JournalScience
Volume185
Issue number4150
DOIs
StatePublished - 1974
Externally publishedYes

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