Articles tagged with Chirality
Researchers discovered that chiral molecules organize into separate left- and right-handed superstructures when present in equal numbers. However, a small imbalance leads to one minority forming the majority's superstructure.
Researchers at NIST create device to detect chirality in molecules, which could indicate presence of life. The technique may be used to search for extraterrestrial life by analyzing light reflected from planetary surfaces.
Scientists at MIT and Brown University developed a microfluidic device to separate right-handed from left-handed bacteria, which can lead to safer pharmaceuticals. The discovery could also impact industries like agriculture and food production.
Carbon nanotubes grow through self-assembly forming a 'tapestry' of twisting threads, where each thread's length determines the tube's growth rate. The research reveals a direct relationship between a nanotube's chiral angle and its growth speed.
Researchers at Northwestern University have discovered that electrostatic interactions alone can give rise to helical shapes in molecules, shedding light on how nature generates chirality. Their work shows that this phenomenon is a result of simple interactions and has implications for understanding complex phenomena.
A Duke University-led team of chemists has successfully grown exclusively semiconducting carbon nanotubes, paving the way for manufacturing reliable electronic nanocircuits. The achievement paves the way for high-current field-effect transistors and sensors, offering reduced heat output and higher frequency operation.
Argonne scientists found a way to induce chirality in pre-biological molecules using X-rays and magnetic fields. This mechanism could have been introduced by irradiation of molecules in the universe, potentially explaining the origin of life.
A team of scientists has developed a new type of probe for examining protein interactions using luminescence, enabling non-invasive tracking of protein association in living cells. The technique could aid understanding of serum albumin function and drug-protein interactions.
Rice University professors Ka-Yiu San and George Bennett have developed an eco-friendly bacterial process to speed up pharmaceutical production and reduce costs. The new method uses metabolically engineered E. coli cells to continually replenish the supply of NADPH, a critical cofactor in forming chiral compounds.
Researchers at NIST developed a new method to sort carbon nanotubes by length using high-speed centrifuges. This technique shows promise for scaling up production of high-quality nanotubes with specific lengths, crucial for various applications in electronics, medicine, and displays.
Researchers at the University of Leipzig successfully produce kilogram quantities of isocitric acid from sunflower oil using a combination of biotechnology and chemical steps. This achievement opens up new avenues for synthesizing complex natural products and chiral building blocks.
A Virginia Tech chemist has developed a computational method to determine the handedness of chiral molecules, which could speed up drug development. This technique eliminates the need for synthesizing the two hands of chiral molecules, reducing time consumption by weeks or years.
New research reveals that nanoscale magnets with chirality may play a crucial role in data transmission and manipulation in spintronic devices. The unique symmetry of these materials allows for the mixing of electronic, optic, magnetic and structural properties.
Researchers successfully filmed pairs of molecules during recognition process, revealing that only molecules with same chirality readily aggregate. The study demonstrates how molecules adapt to fit each other's shapes, similar to human handshakes.
A new study uses racemization, the conversion of an optically active compound to a racemic form, as a potential marker for extraterrestrial life. Researchers also developed more sensitive polarimeters that can detect smaller concentrations of optically active compounds in samples from outer space.
Researchers developed a predictive tool to analyze nanotube breaks based on four key variables, including load level, temperature, and chirality. The model creates a strength map plotting the likelihood of breakage and its underlying mechanisms.
A team of researchers developed a microreactor that continuously regenerates essential cofactors through enzyme-catalyzed reactions, driving favorable reaction equilibria. This innovation enables the efficient biocatalytic synthesis of chiral fine chemicals in larger quantities.
Researchers found that chiral compounds, including organophosphates and synthetic pyrethroids, pose previously uncalculated toxic risks due to their biologically different behaviors. Using just the active isomer can achieve similar pest control with reduced chemical use and environmental benefits.
Researchers at Chiral Photonics Inc. have developed a new class of devices called chiral gratings that can filter light, sense temperature and pressure changes, and transmit information via powerful and inexpensive lasers. The devices were created with support from NIST and the National Science Foundation.
Researchers have developed spiraling glass fibers that impart a chiral character to light by polarizing photons. These fibers can be used as sensors for pressure, temperature, torque, and chemical composition, while also enabling the manipulation of polarized light in various applications.
Researchers at Imperial College London have shown that an amino acid can amplify the concentration of one particular chiral form, a process known as autocatalysis. This discovery may offer insights into the evolution of biological homochirality and could provide a model for how life began.
A team of scientists led by UC Berkeley's Richard Mathies is developing the Mars Organic Analyzer to test for amino acid handedness, a crucial characteristic of life-based amino acids. The instrument aims to provide absolute proof of life on Mars, as detecting left-handed or right-handed amino acids could indicate biological activity.
Researchers at the University of Missouri-Rolla have created a new material that can differentiate between chiral molecules, which is essential for creating new chemical sensors and catalysts. The stable and relatively simple catalyst could help sort biologically potent chemicals from less useful or toxic counterparts.
Recent research by Purdue University scientists suggests that the first building blocks of life were left-handed and that a single amino acid called serine set the standard eons ago. This led to all living things evolving using only amino acids of the left-handed variety, forcing other biological molecules to follow suit.
Researchers at Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research successfully observed the formation and dynamics of coordination compounds on a copper surface. They directly imaged single molecules and monitored their movements, revealing how rotating molecules act as dynamic atom traps for individual Cu atoms.
Boaz's discovery and commercialization of the BoPhoz¼tm chiral ligands have reached a total market value of over $100 billion, driving researchers to develop new catalysts for synthesizing one-handed forms. These ligands offer pharmaceutical scientists a new path to produce active ingredients quickly and at lower cost.
The Fenniri team has discovered a new class of nanotubes formed from synthetic organic molecules, enabling complete control over their formation and properties. These nanotubes can be customized to possess different physical and chemical properties, making them suitable for various industrial applications.
Researchers have identified mutant enzymes with improved detoxifying properties against chemical warfare agents and agricultural insecticides. By modifying amino acids, the team has created faster-detoxifying enzymes that can efficiently degrade these compounds.
A NYU team has developed a molecule with switchable chirality by adding copper ions to methionine, which can be repeatedly switched and polarize light in opposite directions. This discovery could have significant implications for molecular computing and chiral material applications.
Researchers found that the d-threo enantiomer, which is 10 times more potent than its chiral counterpart, binds precisely to dopamine targets in the brain. This suggests that using a single enantiomer form may be beneficial for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
A new chemical methodology developed by a chemist at the University of Illinois has made synthesizing both enantiomers of alpha-, beta- and gamma- aryl amino acids more efficient. The production of unnatural amino acids is of particular interest to the pharmaceutical industry, where it can enhance the stability of possible drugs.