title: Spontaneous mirror symmetry breaking in the limited enantioselective autocatalysis model: abyssal hydrothermal vents as scenario for the emergence of chirality in prebiotic chemistry.
abstract: The emergence of chirality in enantioselective autocatalysis for compounds unable to transform according to the Frank-like reaction network is discussed with respect to the controversial limited enantioselectivity (LES) model composed of coupled enantioselective and non-enantioselective autocatalyses. The LES model cannot lead to spontaneous mirror symmetry breaking (SMSB) either in closed systems with a homogeneous temperature distribution or in closed systems with a stationary non-uniform temperature distribution. However, simulations of chemical kinetics in a two-compartment model demonstrate that SMSB may occur if both autocatalytic reactions are spatially separated at different temperatures in different compartments but coupled under the action of a continuous internal flow. In such conditions, the system can evolve, for certain reaction and system parameters, toward a chiral stationary state; that is, the system is able to reach a bifurcation point leading to SMSB. Numerical simulations in which reasonable chemical parameters have been used suggest that an adequate scenario for such a SMSB would be that of abyssal hydrothermal vents, by virtue of the typical temperature gradients found there and the role of inorganic solids mediating chemical reactions in an enzyme-like role.
authors: Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. jmribo@ub.edu
authors: Josep M
authors: JM
authors: Ribó
authors: Joaquim
authors: J
authors: Crusats
authors: Zoubir
authors: Z
authors: El-Hachemi
authors: Albert
authors: A
authors: Moyano
authors: Celia
authors: C
authors: Blanco
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Hochberg
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D002627:Chemistry, Physical; D018559:Exobiology; D060086:Hydrothermal Vents / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013816:Thermodynamics