The Origin of Chirality in the Molecules of Life (eBook)

Albert Guijarro received his MSc and PhD from the University of Alicante. He then spent three years at the University of Nebraska before returning to Alicante where he became Associate Professor in 2003. His current research interests are in the field of physical organic chemistry, specifically in the study of highly reduced anionic electron systems. He is co-author of 32 papers, has supervised four PhD students, and has participated in/directed numerous research projects. He is a research member of the ISO (Institute of Organic Synthesis) in Alicante and co-founder of MEDALCHEMY, S.L. Miguel Yus is based at the University of Alicante where he is currently head of the Organic Synthesis Institute (ISO). He has been visiting professor at various institutions including ETH-Zentrum and the Universities of Oxford, Harvard, Uppsala, Tucson, Okayama, Paris and Strasbourg. Professor Yus is on the Advisory Board of numerous learned journals and is Regional Editor of Letters in Organic Chemistry. He is co-author of over 400 papers, has given more than 150 lectures and supervised 43 PhD students. He has received accolades including the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Prize, the French-Spanish Prize of the SocietÚ Franþaise de Chimie, the C.A. Stiefvater Memorial Lecture Award, the Nagase Science and Technology Foundation fellowship, and the Cellchem Lectureship. He is co-founder of MEDALCHEMY, S.L.

Chapter 1 Introduction and historical background. Chapter 2. Classification of the theories of the origin of biomolecular homochirality: Chance theories; Amplification of tiny stochastic imbalances; The racemic state;Polymerizations above a critical chain length macromolecules; Deterministic theories. Chapter 3. The concept of chirality: The basic symmetry operations; The space inversion: the Parity operator: ; The time reversion: the Time reversal operator: ; The charge conjugation: the Charge conjugation operator: ; The failure of the experiments of L. Pasteur, P. Curie and others. Experiments in the absence of chirality. Experiments under the influence of false chirality or true chirality; Absence of chiral field; Experiments under false chiral influence; Experiments under true chiral influence; Expected effect of true and false chirality on molecules. Chapter 4. Chiral physical forces:The Weak Interaction and the Parity Violation; Introduction. The Fundamental Interactions: Gravitational, weak interaction, electromagnetic and strong interaction; The ?-decay; Parity violation; Experimental confirmation of the parity violation in weak interactions; The ?+ and ?- decays and the conservation of the symmetry operator ; The Principle of Invariance; Unification of forces; The Electroweak Theory; The neutral Z¦ boson; Quantification of the Parity violation in molecules: ?Epv; Experimental tests for parity-violating energies ?Epv in molecules; ?-Radiolysis; Asymmetric photolysis and photosynthesis; Circularly polarized light. Circular dichroism; The magnetochiral effect; Fluid Dynamics: Vortex motion. Chapter 5. Mechanisms of Amplification: Autocatalysis; The Frank Model; Theoretical Models derived from Frank's original model; Autocatalytic amplification of the weak force; Amplification of Chirality in chemical reactions; Non-linear effects; Asymmetric autocatalytic reactions; Self-replication; Amplification of the chirality by cooperative forces: growing polymers and supramolecular assembles; Amplification of the chirality in polymerizations; Amplification of the chirality in supramolecular assembles; The Yamagata cumulative mechanism; The Salam phase transition; Amplification of scalemic compounds. Eutectic mixtures; Solubility properties; Sublimation proterties; Amplification of chirality in serine octamers; Homochiral preference and chiral amplification; Chemistry of serine octamers; Sublimation experiments. Chapter 6. Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking: Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking in Crystallizations. Chapter 7. Outside Earth: Meteorites and Comets: Meteorites; Comets. Chapter 8. Other local deterministic theories: Chiral crystals and faces on crystals; Quartz; Calcite, gypsum, clay minerals and others; Organic crystals: Glycine; Two-dimensional chirality. Chapter 9. Intrinsic Assymetry of the Universe: The Arrow of Space-Time and the unequal occurrence of matter and antimatter. Amplification of the chirality in polymerizations; Amplification of the chirality in supramolecular assembles; The Yamagata cumulative mechanism; The Salam phase transition; Amplification of scalemic compounds. Eutectic mixtures; Solubility properties; Sublimation proterties; Amplification of chirality in serine octamers; Homochiral preference and chiral amplification; Chemistry of serine octamers; Sublimation experiments. Chapter 6. Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking: Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking in Crystallizations. Chapter 7. Outside Earth: Meteorites and Comets: Meteorites; Comets. Chapter 8. Other local deterministic theories: Chiral crystals and faces on crystals; Quartz; Calcite, gypsum, clay minerals and others; Organic crystals: Glycine; Two-dimensional chirality. Chapter 9. Intrinsic Assymetry of the Universe: The Arrow of Space-Time and the unequal occurrence of matter and antimatter.