The Origin of Chirality in the Molecules of Life : From Awareness to the Current Theories and Perspectives of This Unsolved Problem / Albert Guijarro.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Guijarro, Albert, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Biochemistry.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (246 pages)

Edition:

Second edition.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, England : The Royal Society of Chemistry, [2022]

Summary:

This book provides an interdisciplinary review of one of the great unsolved mysteries that has fascinated scientists for over 150 years: the origin of chirality in biomolecules. It is fundamental, comprehensive and structured to be accessible for educational purposes.

Contents:

Intro

Title

Copyright

Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction and Historical Background

1.1 Introduction

1.2 The Contribution of Pasteur

1.2.1 Quartz

1.2.2 Tartaric Acid and the Tartrates

1.3 The Nature of the Problem

References

Chapter 2 The Concept of Chirality

2.1 Introduction

2.2 The First Absolute Stereochemical Determination of a Molecule, Again Tartaric Acid

2.2.1 X-Ray Crystallography to Determine Absolute Configuration

2.2.2 Chiroptical Methods of Absolute Determination

2.3 Molecular Symmetry and Chirality

2.3.1 Symmetry Elements

2.3.2 Point Groups

2.4 True and False Chirality

2.5 The Discrete Symmetry Operators

2.5.1 The Space Inversion: The Parity Operator, P̂

2.5.2 The Time Reversion: The Time Reversal Operator, T̂

2.5.3 The Charge Conjugation: The Charge Conjugation Operator, Ĉ

2.6 The Failure of the Experiments of Pasteur, Curie and Others: Experiments in the Absence of Chirality and Experiments Under the Influence of False or True Chirality

2.6.1 Experiments in the Absence of a Chiral Field

2.6.2 Experiments Under False Chiral Influence

2.6.3 Experiments Under True Chiral Influence

2.7 Expected Effect of True and False Chirality on Molecules

2.8 Quantum Mechanical Treatment of Molecular Chirality

Chapter 3 Theories of the Origin of Biomolecular Homochirality

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Chance Theories

3.2.1 Amplification of Tiny Stochastic Imbalances

3.2.2 Polymerizations Above a Critical Chain Length: Macromolecules

3.3 Deterministic Theories

Chapter 4 Chiral Physical Forces

4.1 Background

4.2 The Weak Interaction and the Parity Violation

4.2.1 The Fundamental Interactions: Gravitational, Weak Interaction, Electromagnetic and Strong Interaction

4.2.2 The β-Decay

4.2.3 Parity Violation.

4.2.4 Unification of Forces

4.2.5 Quantification of the Parity Violation in Molecules: ΔEpv

4.2.6 β-Radiolysis

4.2.7 Neutrinos

4.3 Asymmetric Photolysis and Photosynthesis

4.3.1 Circularly Polarized Light: Circular Dichroism

4.3.2 The Magnetochiral Effect

4.4 Fluid Dynamics: Vortex Motion

Chapter 5 Mechanisms of Amplification

5.1 Background

5.2 Autocatalysis

5.2.1 The Frank Model

5.2.2 Theoretical Models Derived from Frank's Original Model

5.2.3 Attempts Looking for Autocatalytic Amplification of the Weak Force

5.2.4 Amplification of Chirality in Chemical Reactions

5.2.5 Self-replication

5.3 Amplification of Chirality by Cooperative Forces: Growing Polymers and Supramolecular Assemblies

5.3.1 Amplification of Chirality in Polymerization

5.3.2 Amplification of Chirality in Supramolecular Assemblies

5.4 The Yamagata Cumulative Mechanism

5.5 The Salam Phase Transition

5.6 Amplification of Scalemic Compounds: Eutectic Mixtures

5.6.1 Solubility Properties

5.6.2 Sublimation Properties

5.7 Amplification of Chirality in Clusters

5.7.1 Chemistry of Serine Octamers

5.7.2 Homochiral Preference and Chiral Amplification

5.7.3 Sublimation Experiments

Chapter 6 Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking in Crystallizations

6.2.1 Viedma Deracemization

6.3 Cryptochirality

Chapter 7 Outside Earth: Meteorites and Comets

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Meteorites

7.2.1 Amino Acids

7.2.2 Sugars

7.3 Comets

7.4 Asteroids

7.5 Other Planets: Mars

7.6 Interstellar Space

Chapter 8 Other Local Deterministic Theories

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Chiral Crystals and Faces on Crystals

8.2.1 Chiral Crystals

8.2.2 Chiral Faces on Achiral Crystals.

8.3 Two-dimensional Chirality

Chapter 9 Intrinsic Asymmetry of the Universe: The Absolute Direction of Time, the Absolute Sign of Charge and the Absolute Handedness

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Unequal Occurrence of Matter and Antimatter

9.3 The Arrow of Space-Time

9.4 Symmetry Violations: The Absolute Direction of Time, the Absolute Sign of Charge, and the Absolute Handedness

9.5 Future Prospects in cp Violation

Subject Index.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Description based upon print version of record.

Description based on print version record.

Includes bibliographical references.

Other Format:

Print version: Guijarro, Albert The Origin of Chirality in the Molecules of Life

ISBN:

9781839163685

1839163682

9781839163692

1839163690