Spontaneous Resolution by Stirred Crystallization
Abstract
New insights into the mechanism of crystal nucleation emerge from a study by Kondepudi et al., on the crystallization of NaClO3 from a stirred solution. Rectangular prisms of the chiral space group P213 precipitate from aqueous solutions of the achiral ions. If the solution is not stirred, crystals of both enantiomorphic forms precipitate in equal amounts—exactly as was reported almost one hundred years ago. However, when the NaClO3 solution is stirred, then almost exclusively only right‐handed or only left‐handed crystals are formed. There is a simple explanation for this extremely surprising and obviously reproducible phenomenon.
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If secondary nucleation occurs fast enough before nucleation of any new primary crystals, a single chiral solid state may result.
“If secondary nucleation occurs fast enough before nucleation of any new primary crystals, a single chiral solid state may result (McBride and Carter 1991).”
From The Origin of Biological Homochirality (2019) · cites this paper as McBride and Carter 1991
Under rapid stirring, the first crystal formed, or 'Eve' crystal, may be broken by shear into thousands of smaller crystals of the same chiral form; these daughter crystals then grow rapidly by drawing on solution molecules, and the solution rapidly becomes depleted.
“Under rapid stirring, the first crystal formed, or 'Eve' crystal, may be broken by shear into thousands of smaller crystals of the same chiral form. These 'daughter' crystals then grow rapidly by drawing on solution molecules, and the solution rapidly becomes depleted.”
From The Origin of Biological Homochirality (2010) · cites this paper as McBride and Carter 1991
If this occurs more rapidly than formation of any new primary crystals, a single chiral solid state may result.
“a single chiral solid state may result (McBride and Carter 1991) (Fig. 6).”
From The Origin of Biological Homochirality (2010) · cites this paper as McBride and Carter 1991
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References 8 · Cited by 216
- Authors
- McBride, J. M., & Carter, R. L.
- Affiliations
- Yale University (US)
- Corresponding author
- McBride, J. Michael
- Venue
- Angewandte Chemie International Edition in English
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 1991-03
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 293-295
- ISSN
- 0570-0833 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2121030734
- Cited by
- 216
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 3.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Angewandte Chemie International Edition in English (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Materials Chemistry › Crystallization and Solubility Studies
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Biomaterials › Calcium Carbonate Crystallization and Inhibition
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Materials Chemistry › Solidification and crystal growth phenomena
- Keywords
- sodium chlorate, chiral crystallization, crystal nucleation, spontaneous resolution
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