title: Deracemization of amino acids by partial sublimation and via homochiral self-organization.
abstract: Deracemization of a 50/50 mixture of enantiomers of aliphatic amino acids (Ala, Leu, Pro, Val) can be achieved by a simple sublimation of a pre-solubilized solid mixture of the racemates with a huge amount of a less-volatile optically active amino acid (Asn, Asp, Glu, Ser, Thr). The choice of chirality correlates with the handedness of the enantiopure amino acids--Asn, Asp, Glu, Ser, and Thr. The deracemization, enantioenrichment and enantiodepletion observed in these experiments clearly demonstrate the preferential homochiral interactions and a tendency of natural amino acids to homochiral self-organization. These data may contribute toward an ultimate understanding of the pathways by which prebiological homochirality might have emerged.
authors.affiliation: École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Rennes, CNRS, UMR 6226, Avenue du Général Leclerc, CS 50837, 35708 Rennes cedex 7, France.
authors.forename: Arkadii V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Tarasevych
authors.forename: Alexander E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Sorochinsky
authors.forename: Valery P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Kukhar
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Guillemin
mesh_terms: D000409:Alanine / Q000737:chemistry; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D007930:Leucine / Q000737:chemistry; D011392:Proline / Q000737:chemistry; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D014633:Valine / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D011392:Proline; D007930:Leucine; D014633:Valine; D000409:Alanine