Transmission of chirality through space and across length scales

Abstract

Chirality is a fundamental property and vital to chemistry, biology, physics and materials science. The ability to use asymmetry to operate molecular-level machines or macroscopically functional devices, or to give novel properties to materials, may address key challenges at the heart of the physical sciences. However, how chirality at one length scale can be translated to asymmetry at a different scale is largely not well understood. In this Review, we discuss systems where chiral information is translated across length scales and through space. A variety of synthetic systems involve the transmission of chiral information between the molecular-, meso- and macroscales. We show how fundamental stereochemical principles may be used to design and understand nanoscale chiral phenomena and highlight important recent advances relevant to nanotechnology. The survey reveals that while the study of stereochemistry on the nanoscale is a rich and dynamic area, our understanding of how to control and harness it and dial-up specific properties is still in its infancy. The long-term goal of controlling nanoscale chirality promises to be an exciting journey, revealing insight into biological mechanisms and providing new technologies based on dynamic physical properties.

Stereodynamic Quinone–Hydroquinone Molecules That Enantiomerize at sp3-Carbon via Redox-Interconversion

“…1 The enantiopurity of molecules with chiral features is vital in biology, 2 materials science, 3 and, of course, it is fundamental to chemistry. As such, chemists have been continuously challenged to generate chiral elements in molecules with high levels of stereochemical purity.…”

The Chain of Chirality Transfer as Determinant of Brain Functional Laterality. Breaking the Chirality Silence: Search for New Generation of Biomarkers; Relevance to Neurodegenerative Diseases, Cognitive Psychology, and Nutrition Science

“…"Among the most readily observed topological features in natural structures are chirality, hierarchy, and hierarchy of chirality" [11]. "Chirality is a fundamental property and vital to chemistry, biology, physics and materials science" [12]. In most general sense, molecular chirality is appreciated as the universal "force of nature" [13].…”

“…In most general sense, molecular chirality is appreciated as the universal "force of nature" [13]. "How chirality at one length scale can be translated to asymmetry at a different scale is largely not well understood" [12].…”

Visible chiral discrimination via macroscopic selective assembly

“…C hirality is widely regarded as a biosignature and vital to living organisms at both the microscopic and macroscopic levels 1 . For example, proteins are formed from L-amino acids, whereas nucleic acids contain D-sugars such as D-deoxyribose or D-ribose.…”

“…Although chirality transfer and chiral recognition from the microscopic to the macroscopic scale have promise for many practical applications, e.g., chiral separation [3][4][5] , optical memories and switches [6][7][8][9] , and functional sensors and actuators [10][11][12][13] , they still remain key challenges in artificial systems 1,2,14 . To scale up chirality, a supramolecular strategy is generally employed to obtain various chiral architectures via assemblies of chiral or achiral molecules through non-covalent interactions [15][16][17] .…”