Condensation and asymmetric amplification of chirality in achiral molecules adsorbed on an achiral surface

Huiru Liu, Heping Li, Yu He, Peng Cheng, Yi-Qi Zhang, Baojie Feng, Hui Li (), Kehui Wu () and Lan Chen ()
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Huiru Liu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Heping Li: Beijing University of Chemical Technology
Yu He: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Peng Cheng: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yi-Qi Zhang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Baojie Feng: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Hui Li: Beijing University of Chemical Technology
Kehui Wu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Lan Chen: Chinese Academy of Sciences

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract The origin of homochirality in nature is an important but open question. Here, we demonstrate a simple organizational chiral system constructed by achiral carbon monoxide (CO) molecules adsorbed on an achiral Au(111) substrate. Combining scanning tunneling microscope (STM) measurements with density-functional-theory (DFT) calculations, two dissymmetric cluster phases consisting of chiral CO heptamers are revealed. By applied high bias voltage, the stable racemic cluster phase can be transformed into a metastable uniform phase consisting of CO monomers. Further, during the recondensation of a cluster phase after lowering down bias voltage, an enantiomeric excess and its chiral amplification occur, resulting in a homochirality. Such asymmetry amplification is found to be both kinetically feasible and thermodynamically favorable. Our observations provide insight into the physicochemical origin of homochirality through surface adsorption and suggest a general phenomenon that can influence enantioselective chemical processes such as chiral separations and heterogeneous asymmetric catalysis.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37904-z

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