Premium
Molecular Description of the Propagation of Chirality from Molecules to Complex Systems: Different Mechanisms Controlled by Hydrophobic Interactions
Author(s) -
Marinelli Fabrizio,
Sorrenti Alessandro,
Corvaglia Valentina,
Leone Vanessa,
Mancini Giovanna
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201202342
Subject(s) - chirality (physics) , molecule , enantiomer , chemistry , chemical physics , pulmonary surfactant , hydrophobic effect , conformational isomerism , molecular dynamics , computational chemistry , stereochemistry , organic chemistry , physics , biochemistry , chiral symmetry breaking , quantum mechanics , nambu–jona lasinio model , quark
In this work a combined theoretical and experimental approach was used to elucidate and describe at the molecular level the basic interactions that drive the transfer of the chiral information from chiral surfactant molecules to dye/surfactant assemblies. It was found that both hydrophobic interactions and relative concentrations strongly influence the chiroptical features of the heteroaggregates. In particular it was observed that, depending on the length of the surfactant hydrophobic chain, the chiral information is transferred to the dye by stabilizing an enantiomer either of a chiral conformer or of a chiral topological arrangement. These findings underline the role of hydrophobic interactions in the transfer of chirality and provide an example of the potential of in silico simulations for providing an accurate description of the process of chirality propagation.