Chiromorphology at the molecular level.

Abstract

Chiromorphology, chirality of morphology (shape), is expressed at all levels in nature from molecules to individual organisms. It is particularly important in the biological world as nucleic acids and proteins of all life forms on Earth employ molecules of a unique invariant handedness. This article briefly outlines chiromorphology at various orders of magnitude, from molecules to organisms, to seek links among them. It also reports and reviews our own work on chirality induction in non-chiral compounds by binding to, or reaction with, chiral compounds in solution as well as in the solid states, and on chiral discrimination in the solid state. For example, chirality induction offered valuable information on DNA-ligand interactions. Achiral molecule adopted a chiral high energy conformation in the solid state which was ideal for an enantioselective reaction. These solid-state specific chiral phenomena were detected by solid-state CD spectroscopy.