
Journal of the American Chemical Society, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown
Published: May 25, 2025
Homochirality represents a hallmark of life, and its emergence on the prebiotic Earth remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate spontaneous pathway to homochirality, where conglomerate-forming chiral species (N-(2-methylbenzylidene)-phenylglycine amide, NMPA) evolves from an initial perfectly symmetric state, i.e., racemic solution, fully homochiral only enantiopure crystals one handedness are present in suspension. It entails first establishment supersaturated conditions, e.g., because either solvent evaporation or cooling, then stochastic nucleation as symmetry-breaking event, finally asymmetry amplification complete deracemization via temperature fluctuations racemizing solution (thanks presence base 1,8- diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-en, DBU). After developing modeling platform experimental setup, confirm plausibility this through both detailed simulations laboratory experiments. We also show how variety local states different global state may emerge merging deracemizing. Because external conditions triggering supersaturation creation, nucleation, temperature-cycling must have existed Earth, proposed plausibly played role life Earth.
Language: Английский