Login | Register

Mirror symmetry breaking and chiral amplification of ethylenediammonium sulfate crystals

Title:

Mirror symmetry breaking and chiral amplification of ethylenediammonium sulfate crystals

Cheung, Pui Shan Monica (2008) Mirror symmetry breaking and chiral amplification of ethylenediammonium sulfate crystals. Masters thesis, Concordia University.

[thumbnail of MR45334.pdf]
Preview
Text (application/pdf)
MR45334.pdf - Accepted Version
2MB

Abstract

Chiral symmetry breaking is a process that generates one enantiomer largely over the other when a racemic mixture is expected. In nature, one handedness is preferred over the other and it has been shown that chiral molecules, including amino acids, can preferentially adsorb on chiral mineral surfaces such as quartz and calcite. This project investigates the mirror symmetry breaking process of ethylenediammonium sulfate (EDS), an achiral salt that crystallizes into chiral crystals. Here, we investigate the directed mirror symmetry breaking and chiral amplification of EDS in the presence of chiral amino acids using an abrasion/grinding process. The direction of chiral symmetry breaking is strongly dependent on the amino acid and its chirality: (i) for thirteen chiral amino acids, the addition of the D-isomer directed the chiral symmetry breaking process towards homochiral dextrorotatory EDS crystals; whereas the addition of the L-isomer directed the chiral symmetry breaking process towards homochiral levorotatory EDS crystals, (ii) asparagine, tryptophan and tyrosine showed the reverse trend, and (iii) no effect was observed when adding arginine, lysine or methionine to the EDS mixture. In the future, the effect of chiral additives on the surface microtopography of EDS crystals will be investigated using atomic force microscopy and surface etching. The selective adsorption of chiral additives on EDS crystals will also be studied using molecular modeling and isothermal titration calorimetry.

Divisions:Concordia University > Faculty of Arts and Science > Chemistry and Biochemistry
Item Type:Thesis (Masters)
Authors:Cheung, Pui Shan Monica
Pagination:xiv, 87 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm.
Institution:Concordia University
Degree Name:M. Sc.
Program:Chemistry
Date:2008
Thesis Supervisor(s):Cuccia, Louis
Identification Number:LE 3 C66C54M 2008 C44
ID Code:976114
Deposited By: Concordia University Library
Deposited On:22 Jan 2013 16:20
Last Modified:13 Jul 2020 20:09
Related URLs:
All items in Spectrum are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved. The use of items is governed by Spectrum's terms of access.

Repository Staff Only: item control page

Downloads per month over past year

Research related to the current document (at the CORE website)
- Research related to the current document (at the CORE website)
Back to top Back to top