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Chirality

Chirality

Chirality is a term that describes the lack of mirror symmetry in an object. In other words, chiral objects cannot be superposed on their mirror images. For example, our feet are chiral, as the mirror image of the left foot, the right foot, cannot be superposed on the left foot.
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...

Chirality at Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Sulfur

Chirality at Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Sulfur

Chirality is most prevalent in carbon-based tetrahedral compounds, but this important facet of molecular symmetry extends to sp3-hybridized nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur centers, including trivalent molecules with lone pairs. Here, the lone pair behaves as a functional group in addition to the other three substituents to form an analogous tetrahedral center that can be chiral.
A consequence of chirality is the need for enantiomeric resolution. While this is theoretically possible for all...

Stereoisomerism

Stereoisomerism

Isomerism in Complexes
Isomers are different chemical species that have the same chemical formula.
Transition metal complexes often exist as geometric isomers, in which the same atoms are connected through the same types of bonds but with differences in their orientation in space. Coordination complexes with two different ligands in the cis and trans positions from a ligand of interest form isomers. For example, the octahedral [Co(NH3)4Cl2]+ ion has two isomers (Figure 1) In the cis...

Prochirality

Prochirality

The concept of prochirality leads to the nomenclature of the individual faces of a molecule and plays a crucial role in the enantioselective reaction. It is a concept where two or more achiral molecules react to produce chiral products. A typical process is the reaction of an achiral ketone to generate a chiral alcohol. Here, the achiral reactant reacts with an achiral reducing agent, sodium borohydride, to generate an equimolar mixture of the chiral enantiomers of the product. For example, an...

Chirality in Nature

Chirality in Nature

Chirality is the most intriguing yet essential facet of nature, governing life’s biochemical processes and precision. It can be observed from a snail shell pattern in a macroscopic world to an amino acid, the minutest building block of life. Most of the snails around the world have right-coiled shells because of the intrinsic chirality in their genes. All the amino acids present in the human body exist in an enantiomerically pure state, except for glycine - the sole achiral amino acid.

Stereoisomerism of Cyclic Compounds

Stereoisomerism of Cyclic Compounds

In this lesson, we delve into the role of ring conformation and its stability, which determines the spatial arrangement and, consequently, the molecular symmetry and stereoisomerism of cyclic compounds. 1,2-Dimethylcyclohexane is used as a case study to evaluate the possible number of stereoisomers. Here, given the multiple (n = 2) chiral centers, there are 2n = 4 possible configurations that lack a plane of symmetry, as the ring skeleton exists in a non-planar chair conformation. In addition,...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 14, 2025

Preparation of Large-area Vertical 2D Crystal Hetero-structures Through the Sulfurization of Transition Metal Films for Device Fabrication

Preparation of Large-area Vertical 2D Crystal Hetero-structures Through the Sulfurization of Transition Metal Films for Device Fabrication

Published on: November 28, 2017

Chirality in Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Nanostructures.

Lorenzo Branzi¹, Joseph Martyn¹, Lucy Fitzsimmons¹

¹School of Chemistry, CRANN and AMBER Research Centers, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin, 2, Ireland.

Chemistry (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)

|May 13, 2025

Summary

Chirality in transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) is a growing field. This review covers synthesis, characterization, and applications of chiral TMD nanomaterials, highlighting their potential in nanomedicine and spintronics.

Keywords:

chirality molybdenum disulfide nanostructures nanotechnology transition metal dichalcogenides

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Last Updated: May 14, 2025

Preparation of Large-area Vertical 2D Crystal Hetero-structures Through the Sulfurization of Transition Metal Films for Device Fabrication

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Published on: November 28, 2017

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Preparation of Liquid-exfoliated Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Nanosheets with Controlled Size and Thickness: A State of the Art Protocol

Preparation of Liquid-exfoliated Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Nanosheets with Controlled Size and Thickness: A State of the Art Protocol

Published on: December 20, 2016

Area of Science:

Materials Science
Nanotechnology
Chemistry

Background:

Chirality, the property of non-superimposable mirror images, is crucial in nanomaterials.
Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are 2D layered materials with significant technological relevance.
Recent advancements have focused on introducing and studying chirality in TMDs.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the development of chirality in transition metal dichalcogenide nanostructures.
To explore synthetic strategies for producing chiral TMDs.
To discuss the chiroptical properties and applications of chiral TMDs.

Main Methods:

Review of solution-phase and vapor-phase synthetic strategies for chiral TMDs.
Analysis of characterization techniques for chiroptical properties.
Consideration of various nanostructure types (0D, 1D, 2D, 3D) and chirality origins.

Main Results:

Successful synthesis of chiral TMDs using diverse methods.
Characterization of unique chiroptical properties in various TMD nanostructures.
Identification of potential challenges in assessing material chirality.

Conclusions:

Chiral TMDs offer exciting possibilities across multiple scientific domains.
Applications span nanomedicine, enantioselective catalysis, spintronics, and nonlinear optics.
Further research into chiral TMDs promises significant technological advancements.