Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026

Coulomb Explosion Imaging as a Tool to Distinguish Between Stereoisomers
Published on: August 18, 2017
Chiral conflict among different helicenes suppresses formation of one enantiomorph in 2D crystallization
Johannes Seibel1, Oliver Allemann, Jay S Siegel
1Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland.
Abstract:
Diastereomeric interactions in 2D crystals formed at solid surfaces serve as excellent models for understanding molecular recognition in biomineralization. Adsorption of a pentahelicene racemate on a Au(111) surface leads to 2D conglomerate crystallization, i.e., homochiral mirror domains, as observed by scanning tunneling microscopy. Upon mixing 26% of (M)-heptahelicene into the racemate monolayer, only the (M)-pentahelicene enantiomorph is observed. This effect is explained by a preferred heterochiral interaction between the different helicene species, suppressing the formation of the pure (P)-pentahelicene enantiomorph. These results shine new light onto stereoselective molecular recognition mediated by van der Waals forces.
More Related Videos
08:25Development of Heterogeneous Enantioselective Catalysts using Chiral Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs)
Published on: January 17, 2020
06:35Construction and Systematical Symmetric Studies of a Series of Supramolecular Clusters with Binary or Ternary Ammonium Triphenylacetates
Published on: February 15, 2016
Related Concept Videos
Prochirality
Stereoisomerism of Cyclic Compounds
Molecules with Multiple Chiral Centers
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...
Racemic Mixtures and the Resolution of Enantiomers
Chirality in Nature