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Published on: August 18, 2017
Theoretical Investigation into a Possibility of Formation of Propylene Oxide Homochirality in Space
Yuta Hori1, Honami Nakamura1, Takahide Sakawa1
1Center for Computational Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Abstract:
The preferential synthesis or destruction of a single enantiomer by ultraviolet circularly polarized light (UV-CPL) has been proposed as a possible triggering mechanism for the extraterrestrial origin of homochirality. Herein, we investigate the photoabsorption property of propylene oxide (c-C3H6O) for UV-CPL in the Lyman-α region. Our calculations show that c-C3H6O was produced by CH3+ and CH3CH(OH)CH3 or C3H7• and O (triplet). The computed electronic circular dichroism spectra show that c-C3H6O and the intermediate (CH3CH(OH)CH2+) could absorb the UV-CPL originating from the Lyman-α emitter spectrum, suggesting that the photolysis of c-C3H6O or CH3CH(OH)CH2+ upon irradiation could induce chiral symmetry breakage.
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