Amplification of chirality from molecules into morphology of crystals through molecular recognition.
We have found a novel type of morphological chiral tuning on inorganic helical crystals through stereochemical recognition of organic molecules. Helical forms consisting of twisted twins emerged from triclinic crystals under diffusion-limited conditions. The proportion of the right- and left-handed helices was precisely tuned with the addition of a specified amount of chiral molecules, such as d- and l-glutamic acids. The chiral molecules recognized the enantiomeric surface of the triclinic crystal and then changed the growth behavior of the helical morphology. As a result, the microscopic chiral information, at a molecular level, was amplified into the macroscopic helices consisting of inorganic achiral components.
Department of Applied Chemistry, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, 223-8522, Japan.
Yuya
Y
Oaki
Hiroaki
H
Imai