Achiral amino acid glycine acts as an origin of homochirality in asymmetric autocatalysis

Org Biomol Chem. 2019 Apr 24;17(17):4200-4203. doi: 10.1039/c9ob00345b.

Abstract

Chiral crystals of the only achiral proteinogenic α-amino acid, glycine induced the asymmetric autocatalysis with amplification of enantiomeric excess (ee). The P31 crystals of γ-glycine, which display positive Cotton effect (CD) at around 215 nm, mediate the asymmetric autocatalysis to yield (R)-pyrimidyl alkanol with high ee. In contrast, the enantiomorphic P32 crystals, which display negative Cotton effect, afford (S)-alkanol after the significant amplification of ee by asymmetric autocatalysis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't