Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2026
09:38
Fabrication Procedures and Birefringence Measurements for Designing Magnetically Responsive Lanthanide Ion Chelating Phospholipid Assemblies
Published on: January 3, 2018
Molecular design strategy for solution-phase magneto-chiral photochemistry
Kosuke Itaya1, Kaoru Koizumi1, Kota Inage1
1Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Kita 13, Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
Chemical Communications (Cambridge, England)
|June 26, 2026
Summary
We discovered the highest magneto-chiral dichroism (MChD) in chiral Europium(III) complexes. This breakthrough in solution-phase systems advances magneto-chiral photochemical applications.
Area of Science:
- Coordination Chemistry
- Photochemistry
- Magneto-optics
Background:
- Chiral molecules exhibit unique optical properties.
- Magneto-chiral dichroism (MChD) probes interactions between light, magnetic fields, and chirality.
- Europium(III) complexes are known for their luminescent properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the magneto-chiral dichroism (MChD) of chiral tetrakis-type Europium(III) complexes.
- To determine the magneto-chiral anisotropy factor in organic media.
- To assess the potential for developing novel magneto-chiral photochemical applications.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of chiral tetrakis-type Europium(III) complexes.
- Spectroscopic analysis to measure magneto-chiral dichroism.
- Evaluation of the magneto-chiral anisotropy factor (|gMChD|) in solution.
Main Results:
- Chiral tetrakis-type Europium(III) complexes exhibit significant MChD in organic media.
- The highest reported magneto-chiral anisotropy factor (|gMChD| = 0.015 T⁻¹) for solution-phase systems was achieved.
- The results demonstrate a strong correlation between molecular chirality and magnetic field effects on light absorption.
Conclusions:
- Chiral Europium(III) complexes are promising candidates for magneto-chiral applications.
- The high MChD values open new avenues for magneto-chiral photochemistry.
- This study provides critical insights for designing advanced materials with tailored magneto-optical responses.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry
The absorption of UV–visible light by conjugated systems causes the promotion of an electron from the ground state to the excited state. Consequently, photochemical electrocyclic reactions proceed via the excited-state HOMO rather than the ground-state HOMO. Since the ground- and excited-state HOMOs have different symmetries, the stereochemical outcome of electrocyclic reactions depends on the mode of activation; i.e., thermal or photochemical.
Selection Rules: Photochemical Activation
Selection Rules: Photochemical Activation
02:05Prochirality
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...
02:25Molecules with Multiple Chiral Centers
Molecules that possess multiple chiral centers can afford a large number of stereoisomers. For instance, while some molecules like 2-butanol have one chiral center, defined as a tetrahedral carbon atom with four different substituents attached, several molecules like butane-2,3-diol have multiple chiral centers. A simple formula to predict the number of stereoisomers possible for a molecule with n chiral centers is 2n. However, there can be a lower number where some of the stereoisomers are...
02:30Chirality 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...
A consequence of chirality is the need for enantiomeric resolution. While this is theoretically possible for all...
01:17Thermal Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry
The stereochemistry of electrocyclic reactions is strongly influenced by the orbital symmetry of the polyene HOMO. Under thermal conditions, the reaction proceeds via the ground-state HOMO.
Selection Rules: Thermal Activation
Conjugated systems containing an even number of π-electron pairs undergo a conrotatory ring closure. For example, thermal electrocyclization of (2E,4E)-2,4-hexadiene, a conjugated diene containing two π-electron pairs, gives trans-3,4-dimethylcyclobutene.
Selection Rules: Thermal Activation
Conjugated systems containing an even number of π-electron pairs undergo a conrotatory ring closure. For example, thermal electrocyclization of (2E,4E)-2,4-hexadiene, a conjugated diene containing two π-electron pairs, gives trans-3,4-dimethylcyclobutene.
01:26Thermal and Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Overview
Electrocyclic reactions are reversible reactions. They involve an intramolecular cyclization or ring-opening of a conjugated polyene. Shown below are two examples of electrocyclic reactions. In the first reaction, the formation of the cyclic product is favored. In contrast, in the second reaction, ring-opening is favored due to the high ring strain associated with cyclobutene formation.