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Abstract
AbstractThe generally accepted hypothesis to explain the origin of biological homochirality (that is to say, the fact that proteinogenic amino acids are left-handed, and carbohydrates right-handed, in all living beings) is to assume, in the course of prebiotic chemical evolution, the appearance of an initial enantiomeric excess in a set of chiral molecular entities by spontaneous mirror-symmetry breaking (SMSB), together with suitable amplification and replication mechanisms that overcome the thermodynamic drive to racemization. However, the achievement of SMSB in chemical reactions taking place in solution requires highly specific reaction networks showing nonlinear dynamics based on enantioselective autocatalysis, and examples of its experimental realization are very rare. On the other hand, emergence of net supramolecular chirality by SMSB in the self-assembly of achiral molecules has been seen to occur in several instances, and the chirality sign of the resulting supramolecular system can be controlled by the action of macroscopic chiral forces. These considerations led us to propose a new mechanism for the generation of net chirality in molecular systems, in which the SMSB takes place in the formation of chiral supramolecular dissipative structures from achiral monomers, leading to asymmetric imbalances in their composition that are subsequently transferred to a standard enantioselective catalytic reaction, dodging in this way the highly limiting requirement of finding suitable reactions in solution that show enantioselective autocatalysis. We propose the name ‘absolute asymmetric catalysis’ for this approach, in which an achiral monomer is converted into a nonracemic chiral aggregate that is generated with SMSB and that is catalytically active.Our aim in this Account is to present a step-by-step narrative of the conceptual and experimental development of this hitherto unregarded, but prebiotically plausible, mechanism for the emergence of net chirality in molecular reactions.1 Introduction: The Origin of Biological Homochirality and Spontaneous Mirror-Symmetry Breaking2 Experimental Chemical Models for Spontaneous Mirror-Symmetry Breaking: The Soai Reaction and Beyond3 Spontaneous Mirror-Symmetry Breaking in Supramolecular Chemistry: Plenty of Room at the Top4 Absolute Asymmetric Catalysis: An Alternative Mechanism for the Emergence of Net Chirality in Molecular Systems
5 Experimental Realization of Top-Down Chirality Transfer to the Molecular Level6 Conclusions and Outlook
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Affiliation(s)
- Joaquim Crusats
- Section of Organic Chemistry, Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry, University of Barcelona, Faculty of Chemistry
- Institute of Cosmos Science (IEE-ICC), Universitat de Barcelona
| | - Albert Moyano
- Section of Organic Chemistry, Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry, University of Barcelona, Faculty of Chemistry
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2
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Buhse T, Cruz JM, Noble-Terán ME, Hochberg D, Ribó JM, Crusats J, Micheau JC. Spontaneous Deracemizations. Chem Rev 2021; 121:2147-2229. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c00819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Buhse
- Centro de Investigaciones Químicas−IICBA, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Avenida Universidad 1001, 62209 Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico
| | - José-Manuel Cruz
- Facultad de Ciencias en Física y Matemáticas, Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas 29050, Mexico
| | - María E. Noble-Terán
- Centro de Investigaciones Químicas−IICBA, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Avenida Universidad 1001, 62209 Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico
| | - David Hochberg
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Carretera Ajalvir, Km. 4, 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid Spain
| | - Josep M. Ribó
- Institut de Ciències del Cosmos (IEEC-ICC) and Departament de Química Inorgànica i Orgànica, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, 08028 Barcelona, Catalunya Spain
| | - Joaquim Crusats
- Institut de Ciències del Cosmos (IEEC-ICC) and Departament de Química Inorgànica i Orgànica, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, 08028 Barcelona, Catalunya Spain
| | - Jean-Claude Micheau
- Laboratoire des IMRCP, UMR au CNRS No. 5623, Université Paul Sabatier, F-31062 Toulouse Cedex, France
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Savioli M, Stefanelli M, Magna G, Zurlo F, Caso MF, Cimino R, Goletti C, Venanzi M, Di Natale C, Paolesse R, Monti D. Tunable Supramolecular Chirogenesis in the Self-Assembling of Amphiphilic Porphyrin Triggered by Chiral Amines. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21228557. [PMID: 33202819 PMCID: PMC7698035 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 11/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Supramolecular chirality is one of the most important issues in different branches of science and technology, as stereoselective molecular recognition, catalysis, and sensors. In this paper, we report on the self-assembly of amphiphilic porphyrin derivatives possessing a chiral information on the periphery of the macrocycle (i.e., D- or L-proline moieties), in the presence of chiral amines as co-solute, such as chiral benzylamine derivatives. The aggregation process, steered by hydrophobic effect, has been studied in aqueous solvent mixtures by combined spectroscopic and topographic techniques. The results obtained pointed out a dramatic effect of these ligands on the morphology and on the supramolecular chirality of the final self-assembled structures. Scanning electron microscopy topography, as well as fluorescence microscopy studies revealed the formation of rod-like structures of micrometric size, different from the fractal structures formerly observed when the self-assembly process is carried out in the absence of chiral amine co-solutes. On the other hand, comparative experiments with an achiral porphyrin analogue strongly suggested that the presence of the prolinate moiety is mandatory for the achievement of the observed highly organized suprastructures. The results obtained would be of importance for unraveling the intimate mechanisms operating in the selection of the homochirality, and for the preparation of sensitive materials for the detection of chiral analytes, with tunable stereoselectivity and morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Savioli
- Department of Science and Chemical Technology, University Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (M.S.); (M.S.); (G.M.); (F.Z.); (R.C.); (M.V.); (R.P.)
| | - Manuela Stefanelli
- Department of Science and Chemical Technology, University Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (M.S.); (M.S.); (G.M.); (F.Z.); (R.C.); (M.V.); (R.P.)
| | - Gabriele Magna
- Department of Science and Chemical Technology, University Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (M.S.); (M.S.); (G.M.); (F.Z.); (R.C.); (M.V.); (R.P.)
| | - Francesca Zurlo
- Department of Science and Chemical Technology, University Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (M.S.); (M.S.); (G.M.); (F.Z.); (R.C.); (M.V.); (R.P.)
| | | | - Rita Cimino
- Department of Science and Chemical Technology, University Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (M.S.); (M.S.); (G.M.); (F.Z.); (R.C.); (M.V.); (R.P.)
| | - Claudio Goletti
- Department of Physics, University Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy;
| | - Mariano Venanzi
- Department of Science and Chemical Technology, University Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (M.S.); (M.S.); (G.M.); (F.Z.); (R.C.); (M.V.); (R.P.)
| | - Corrado Di Natale
- Department of Electronic Engineering, University Tor Vergata, Via del Politecnico 1, 00133 Rome, Italy;
| | - Roberto Paolesse
- Department of Science and Chemical Technology, University Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (M.S.); (M.S.); (G.M.); (F.Z.); (R.C.); (M.V.); (R.P.)
| | - Donato Monti
- Department of Science and Chemical Technology, University Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (M.S.); (M.S.); (G.M.); (F.Z.); (R.C.); (M.V.); (R.P.)
- Department of Chemistry, University La Sapienza, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: or
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Magna G, Monti D, Di Natale C, Paolesse R, Stefanelli M. The Assembly of Porphyrin Systems in Well-Defined Nanostructures: An Update. Molecules 2019; 24:E4307. [PMID: 31779097 PMCID: PMC6930562 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24234307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The interest in assembling porphyrin derivatives is widespread and is accounted by the impressive impact of these suprastructures of controlled size and shapes in many applications from nanomedicine and sensors to photocatalysis and optoelectronics. The massive use of porphyrin dyes as molecular building blocks of functional materials at different length scales relies on the interdependent pair properties, consisting of their chemical stability/synthetic versatility and their quite unique physicochemical properties. Remarkably, the driven spatial arrangement of these platforms in well-defined suprastructures can synergically amplify the already excellent properties of the individual monomers, improving conjugation and enlarging the intensity of the absorption range of visible light, or forming an internal electric field exploitable in light-harvesting and charge-and energy-transport processes. The countless potentialities offered by these systems means that self-assembly concepts and tools are constantly explored, as confirmed by the significant number of published articles related to porphyrin assemblies in the 2015-2019 period, which is the focus of this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Magna
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, via della Ricerca Scientifica, 1; 00133 Rome, Italy; (G.M.); (D.M.); (R.P.)
| | - Donato Monti
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, via della Ricerca Scientifica, 1; 00133 Rome, Italy; (G.M.); (D.M.); (R.P.)
| | - Corrado Di Natale
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Elettronica, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, via del Politecnico, 1; 00134 Roma, Italy;
| | - Roberto Paolesse
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, via della Ricerca Scientifica, 1; 00133 Rome, Italy; (G.M.); (D.M.); (R.P.)
| | - Manuela Stefanelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, via della Ricerca Scientifica, 1; 00133 Rome, Italy; (G.M.); (D.M.); (R.P.)
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