Achiral amino acid glycine acts as an origin of homochirality in asymmetric autocatalysis

Abstract

Chiral crystals of the only achiral proteinogenic α-amino acid, glycine induced the asymmetric autocatalysis with amplification of enantiomeric excess (ee). The P3₁ crystals of γ-glycine, which display positive Cotton effect (CD) at around 215 nm, mediate the asymmetric autocatalysis to yield (R)-pyrimidyl alkanol with high ee. In contrast, the enantiomorphic P3₂ crystals, which display negative Cotton effect, afford (S)-alkanol after the significant amplification of ee by asymmetric autocatalysis.