1st Edition
by James P. Riehl (Author)
An overview of the importance and consequences of asymmetry from molecules to the macroscopic world
As
scientists have become more capable of probing the structure of
three-dimensional objects at the molecular level, the need to understand
the concept and the consequences of mirror-image
asymmetry―chirality―has increased enormously. Written at an introductory
level, Mirror-Image Asymmetry provides an overview of the
importance and effects of asymmetry from the atomic and molecular world
of physics and chemistry to the organisms and structures that we see and
use in our everyday life. The reader will develop a broad appreciation
of three-dimensional asymmetry from the microscopic molecular world to
the macroscopic world of handedness, automobile driving, windmills,
sports, and similar phenomena. The book features:
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An introduction to basic definitions and the nomenclature of asymmetric and dissymmetric molecules
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Up-to-date
examples of the importance and consequences of asymmetry in modern drug
applications, current theories of the origin of asymmetry in nature,
and examples of molecular asymmetry in smell, taste, and insect
communication
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Many illustrations, chemical structures,
and photographs that enable the reader to connect the actual
asymmetrical structures to the different phenomena that depend on
structural asymmetry
In the 150 years since Louis
Pasteur discovered asymmetry in molecular structures, scientists have
made great progress in understanding how interactions between chiral
molecules influence biochemical processes. This knowledge is leading to
very sophisticated asymmetric synthetic techniques that have greatly
benefitted many research groups especially those in the pharmaceutical
industry. This guide to the role of molecular and macroscopic chirality
will inspire students and scientists in chemistry, biology, physics, and
drug discovery.
