Polarized light, enantioselective asymmetric

We have demonstrated the enantioselective synthesis of near-enantiopure compounds by asymmetric photodegradation of racemic pyrimidyl alkanol 2c by circularly polarized light followed by asymmetric autocatalysis. This is the first example of asymmetric autocatalysis triggered directly by a chiral physical factor CPL. 

The process by which a stereochemically inactive center is converted to a specific stereoisomeric form. In most cases, the reacting center is prochiral. Such processes can occur with reactions involving an optically active reagent, solvent, or catalyst (eg., an enzyme). The reaction produced by such a process is referred to as an enantioselective reaction. In principle, use of circularly polarized light in photochemical reactions of achiral reactants might also exhibit asymmetric induction. However, reported enantioselectivities in these cases have been very small. 

Kawasaki T, Sato M, Ishiguro S et al (2005) Enantioselective synthesis of near enantiopure compound by asymmetric autocatalysis triggered by asymmetric photolysis with circularly polarized light. J Am Chem Soc 127 3274—3275... 

Absolute asymmetric synthesis A synthesis in which achiral reactants are converted to nonracemic, chiral products, and where the enantioselectivity is induced only by an external force such as circularly polarized light in a photochemical reaction [65]. 

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