Using molecular dynamics simulations to identify the key factors responsible for chiral recognition by an amino acid-based molecular micelle
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M. Centnerszwer's seminal 1899 report investigated the stereochemical relationship between optical antipodes of different substances using melting-point behavior. One intriguing melting-point phase diagram produced from this early investigation combined (+)-2-chlorosuccinic acid [(+)- 1 ] and (−)-2-bromosuccinic acid [(−)- 2 ]. While Centnerszwer's data clearly indicates the formation of a quasiracemic phase – i.e. , materials constructed from pairs of isosteric molecules of opposite handedness – at the 1 : 1 component ratio, this material is energetically less favorable than the chiral counterparts. The consequence of this crystal instability is significant as evident by the absence of literature sited crystal structures for the quasiracemic phase (+)- 1 /(−)- 2 and racemates (±)- 1 and (±)- 2 . This study circumvented this challenge by generating multi-molecular assemblies using additional crystallizing agents capable of complementing the hydrogen-bond abilities of succinic acids 1 and 2 . Both imidazole (Im) and 4,4′-bipyridyl- N , N ′-dioxide (BPDO) served as tailor-made additives that effectively modified the crystal packing landscape of quasiracemate of (+)- 1 /(−)- 2 . Combining imidazole with the quasiracemate, racemate, and enantiopure forms of 1 and 2 resulted in crystal structures characterized as molecular salts with layered motifs formed from highly directional N + –H⋯carboxylatemore »