title: Imaging the absolute configuration of a chiral epoxide in the gas phase.
abstract: In chemistry and biology, chirality, or handedness, refers to molecules that exist in two spatial configurations that are incongruent mirror images of one another. Almost all biologically active molecules are chiral, and the correct determination of their absolute configuration is essential for the understanding and the development of processes involving chiral molecules. Anomalous x-ray diffraction and vibrational optical activity measurements are broadly used to determine absolute configurations of solid or liquid samples. Determining absolute configurations of chiral molecules in the gas phase is still a formidable challenge. Here we demonstrate the determination of the absolute configuration of isotopically labeled (R,R)-2,3-dideuterooxirane by foil-induced Coulomb explosion imaging of individual molecules. Our technique provides unambiguous and direct access to the absolute configuration of small gas-phase species, including ions and molecular fragments.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Herwig
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zawatzky
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grieser
authors.forename: Oded
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Heber
authors.forename: Brandon
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jordon-Thaden
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Krantz
authors.forename: Oldřich
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Novotný
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Repnow
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schurig
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schwalm
authors.forename: Zeev
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Vager
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Trapp
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kreckel
mesh_terms: D003903:Deuterium; D055590:Electromagnetic Phenomena; D005027:Ethylene Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D005740:Gases; D007553:Isotope Labeling; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D005740:Gases; D003903:Deuterium; D005027:Ethylene Oxide