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Chiral symmetry‐breaking transition in growth front of crystal phase of 1,1′‐binaphthyl in its supercooled melt
Author(s) -
Asakura Kouichi,
Nagasaka Yasushi,
Hidaka Masashi,
Hayashi Masato,
Osanai Shuichi,
Kondepudi Dilip K.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
chirality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.43
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1520-636X
pISSN - 0899-0042
DOI - 10.1002/chir.10315
Subject(s) - supercooling , chemistry , chirality (physics) , chiral symmetry breaking , symmetry breaking , crystal (programming language) , enantiomer , crystallography , crystal growth , chemical physics , condensed matter physics , thermodynamics , stereochemistry , physics , quantum mechanics , nambu–jona lasinio model , computer science , programming language
Although the theory of spontaneous chiral symmetry‐breaking in open systems was proposed some time ago, experimental realization of this phenomenon has not been achieved. In this article, we note that the crystal growth front of 1,1′‐binaphthyl shows many of the characteristics of an open system in which chiral symmetry‐breaking has occurred. We studied the temperature profiles of the crystallizing surface and obtained X‐ray diffraction data of the crystals grown from the melt under controlled conditions. The data show that, under appropriate conditions, the observed bimodal probability distribution of enantiomeric excess (ee) with maxima ∼60% is due exclusively to chiral crystals and not due to racemic crystals of 1,1′‐binaphthyl that can also form at large supercooling. The mass independence of the ee shows that the growing front maintains a constant ee, which is a clear signature of open systems in steady state. Chirality 16:131–136, 2004 . © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.