How Important is Parity Violation for Molecular and Biomolecular Chirality?
Abstract
Parity violation leads to energy differences delta(pv)H(o)(0)=N(A)delta(pv)E of enantiomers in the femtojoule to picojoule per mole range. Recently introduced methods of electroweak quantum chemistry predict such energy differences to be one to two orders of magnitude larger than previously accepted-but still very small. How can such small energies be measured and what are the consequences for our understanding of molecular chirality, biomolecular homochirality, and perhaps fundamental physics? The review gives some tentative answers to these questions. We discuss the current status of theory and some of the current experimental approaches.
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A racemate deviates infinitesimally from its ideal equimolar composition deterministically, in the direction of the same enantiomer for a given racemate, as a result of parity violation in certain interactions within nuclei.
“The first category (i) corresponds to the fact that a racemate deviates infinitesimally from its ideal equimolar composition deterministically, i.e. in direction of the same enantiomer for a given racemate, as a result of parity violation in certain interactions within nuclei.53,54”
From Possible chemical and physical scenarios towards biological homochirality (2022) · cites this paper as [53]
Parity violation leads to a very small energy difference between the two enantiomers.
“the discovery of parity violation and the elaboration of one of its consequences, that the two enantiomers have a very small energy difference between them, led many to consider the implications for biological homochirality (Quack 2002).”
From The Origin of Biological Homochirality (2010) · cites this paper as Quack 2002
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- Authors
- Quack, M.
- Venue
- Angewandte Chemie International Edition
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2002-12-12
- Volume
- 41
- Issue
- 24
- Pages
- 4618-4630
- ISSN
- 1433-7851 (ISSN-L)
- 1521-3773
- OpenAlex
- W2058746072
- Cited by
- 441
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 23 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 19
- FWCI
- 2.22
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Angewandte Chemie International Edition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Spectroscopy › Molecular spectroscopy and chirality
- Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Organic Chemistry › Chemistry and Stereochemistry Studies
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Advanced Chemical Physics Studies
- Keywords
- parity violation, molecular chirality, enantiomer energy difference, electroweak interactions, enantiomer separation, fundamental physics
- MeSH terms
- Models, Chemical, Molecular Conformation, Quantum Theory, Stereoisomerism, Thermodynamics, Molecular Structure
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