Using a molecular motor to switch the preference of anion-binding catalysts

(University of Groningen) Many organic molecules are chiral, which means that they are non-superimposable on their mirror image. These enantiomers can have different properties when interacting with other chiral entities, for example, biomolecules. Selectively producing the right enantiomer is therefore important in for example the pharmaceutical. University of Groningen chemists Ruth Dorel and Ben Feringa have now devised a method that not only achieves this but that also controls which version is being produced using light.
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news