Chiral symmetry breaking during crystallization: complete chiral purity induced by nonlinear autocatalysis and recycling

Abstract

We report experimental results that show a large and symmetric population of D and L crystals moving into complete chiral purity, with one of the enantiomers completely disappearing. The results indicate (i) a new symmetry breaking process incompatible with the hypothesis of an initial single chiral phase or "mother crystal," (ii) that total symmetry breaking and complete chiral purity can be achieved from a system that initially includes both enantiomers, and (iii) that this is achieved through a nonlinear autocatalytic-recycling process.