Supramolecular tilt chirality derived from symmetrical benzene molecules: handedness of the 2(1) helical assembly
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2026

Construction and Systematical Symmetric Studies of a Series of Supramolecular Clusters with Binary or Ternary Ammonium Triphenylacetates
Published on: February 15, 2016
Akira Tanaka1, Ichiro Hisaki, Norimitsu Tohnai
1Department of Material and Life Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
Abstract:
Achiral molecules can form aggregates with chirality. This depends on the relative position of the molecules, in other words, the tilt of the molecules (so-called supramolecular tilt chirality). In this paper, we describe supramolecular chirality appearing in a 2(1) column composed of symmetrical benzene molecules, which is formed in the host cavity of inclusion crystals of cholic acid. Moreover, we determined the handedness, that is, right or left, of the 2(1) helical column of benzene on the basis of the molecular tilt. Determination of the 2(1) helical handedness was performed on assemblies of other benzene derivatives in cholic acid crystals and benzene assemblies in other host frameworks selected from the Cambridge Structural Database. Finally, we demonstrated complementarity of the handedness between the 2(1) symmetrical host framework of cholic acid and the benzene column.
Related Concept Videos
Prochirality
Chirality at Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Sulfur
A consequence of chirality is the need for enantiomeric resolution. While this is theoretically possible for all...
Chirality
Chiral objects exhibit a sense of handedness when they interact with another chiral object. For example, our left foot can only fit in the left shoe and not in the right shoe. Achiral objects — objects that have...
Molecules with Multiple Chiral Centers
Stereoisomerism of Cyclic Compounds
Chirality in Nature

