The term chirality refers to that an object cannotimagePhase coincidence[1]。For example, our hands, the left hand and the right hand that mirror each other do not coincide.
Chirality is more commonly used in the field of chemical medicineChiral moleculeThe chirality of molecules is usually caused by asymmetric carbon, that is, four groups on one carbon are different from each other.[2]It is usually identified by (RS) and (DL).
Chirality innatureIt also widely exists in.Chirality is a basic attribute of nature.
Chirality widely exists in nature and represents an important symmetry feature in many disciplines.If an object is different from its mirror image, it is called "chiral", and its mirror image cannot coincide with the original object, just as the left hand and right hand are mirror images of each other and cannot overlap.Chiral objects and their mirror images are calledEnantiomer（enantiomorph，GreekMeans "relative/opposite form");It is also referred to asEnantiomer。Objects that can be superimposed with their mirror images are calledAchiralIt is also sometimes called bidirectional.[3]
staychiral drugsBefore people knew it, some doctors in Europe used to give pregnant women undividedRacemateDrugs asAnalgesicsorcough mixtureMany pregnant women give birth to headless or leglessCongenital malformationSon, some fetuses don'tArm，Hand lengthOn the shoulder, it looks terrible.In just four years, more than 12000 deformed“Seal”。This is called“Reaction stop”The tragedy of.Later, it was found that the R body of thalidomide hadcalmFunction, but S-EnantiomerVery strong for embryosTeratogenicityeffect.
In chemical synthesis, the proportion of these two molecules is equal, so for pharmaceutical companies, they have to take pains to separate the other half for every kilogram of drugs they produce.If they cannot be founduse valueIf so, they can only be waste.stayenvironmental protectionIn the era of increasingly strict laws and regulations, these waste products cannot be disposed at will, considering the potential impact on public healthharm, theseIndustrial wasteIt is also a big expense.
Therefore, pharmaceutical companies are eager to find a way to solve this problem. For example, if they want left-handed molecules, they have to find a way to convert the other half of right-handed molecules into left-handed molecules.Now, this makesheadacheThe problem of has been solved.Scientists solved this problem with a method called "asymmetric catalytic synthesis".This method can be widely used in pharmacy, essence andSweetenerAnd other chemical industriesindustrial production It has brought great benefits all of a sudden, and this research has also won theNobel Prize in Chemistry。There is no doubt that this achievement is of great significance.
There is no right rotation on the earthamino acidHowever, according to the principle of chirality, they are indeed possible, and even the intelligent dextral amino acid life also exists.
