Chirality Affecting Reaction Dynamics of HgS Nanostructures Simultaneously Visualized in Real and Reciprocal Space

Biomimetic Chiral Nanomaterials with Selective Catalysis Activity

Chiral nanomaterials with unique chiral configurations and biocompatible ligands have been booming over the past decade for their interesting chiroptical effect, unique catalytical activity, and related bioapplications. The catalytic activity and selectivity of chiral nanomaterials have emerged as important topics, that can be potentially controlled and optimized by the rational biochemical design of nanomaterials. In this review, chiral nanomaterials synthesis, composition, and catalytic performances of different biohybrid chiral nanomaterials are discussed. The construction of chiral nanomaterials with multiscale chiral geometries along with the underlying principles for enhancing chiroptical responses are highlighted. Various biochemical approaches to regulate the selectivity and catalytic activity of chiral nanomaterials for biocatalysis are also summarized. Furthermore, attention is paid to specific chiral ligands, materials compositions, structure characteristics, and so on for introducing selective catalytic activities of representative chiral nanomaterials, with emphasis on substrates including small molecules, biological macromolecule, and in-site catalysis in living systems. Promising progress has also been emphasized in chiral nanomaterials featuring structural versatility and improved chiral responses that gave rise to unprecedented chances to utilize light for biocatalytic applications. In summary, the challenges, future trends, and prospects associated with chiral nanomaterials for catalysis are comprehensively proposed.

Chiroptical Activity in All-Inorganic Intrinsically Chiral Perovskite-like Nanocrystals Synthesized via Enantioselective Strategy

Enantiomeric control of intrinsically chiral inorganic nanocrystals (NCs), despite being reported in few systems over the past years, still remains a challenging task. Here, we succeeded in the enantioselective synthesis of intrinsically chiral perovskite-like CsCuCl₃ NCs in the presence of chiral amino acids using an antisolvent crystallization method at room temperature. The d-/l-ligand-induced enantiomeric NCs showed the relevant characteristic chiroptical responses. Interestingly, under the addition of each d- or l-form of the ligand, the chiroptical activity of the NCs could be tailored through facilely tuning the Cs/Cu feed ratios and amino acid types. The polarity of such amino acids and their coordination configurations with the NC structures contributed to the distinct behaviors. The ability to manipulate the ligand-induced enantioselective strategy would open pathways for the controllable synthesis of intrinsically chiral inorganics and enable a better understanding of the origins of precursor-ligand-associated chiral discrimination and crystallization phenomena.