Selected Topics in Detection and Identification of Molecular and Macromolecular Chirality

Methods of detection and identification of chiral molecules and macromolecules (polymer molecules) are overviewed, focusing on rather recent topics. In addition to the established detection methods, including rotation and circular dichroism, those based on circularly polarized luminescence, plasmon, and liquid crystalline phase are introduced. Identification of chiral structures is discussed mainly for macromolecules in which the combination of experimental spectral studies and theoretical analyses is an emerging and versatile technique. Although identifying chiral structures is generally more challenging than determining chemical structures, the experiment-theory combination is a powerful tool to assess molecular and macromolecular asymmetry.