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PreprintCC BYChemRxiv

Spontaneous Emergence of Homochiral Halogen-bonded Helices from Achiral Components

  • Rakesh Puttreddy1,2
  1. 1Department of Chemistry
  2. 2University of Jyväskylä
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Abstract

Biological systems selectively use chiral molecules, such as L-amino acids and D-sugars, to construct single-handed helical structures including proteins, collagen, and DNA. Reproducing such handedness selection using synthetic systems remains a major challenge because achiral molecules generally form racemic helices. Here, we show that supramolecular halogen-bonded complexes assembled entirely from achiral molecular components spontaneously form either left- or right-handed helices. Structural analysis reveals that helix formation is driven by cooperative hydrogen-bonding interactions within the halogen-bonded assemblies, while their handedness is determined solely by the solvent. Remarkably, homochiral helices emerge without the need for chiral catalysts, chiral solvents, or other external chiral influences. These findings provide experimental evidence for spontaneous symmetry breaking in an achiral molecular system and offer a simple platform for exploring the origins of homochirality.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@misc{puttreddy2026spontaneous,
  title = {{Spontaneous Emergence of Homochiral Halogen-bonded Helices from Achiral Components}},
  author = {Rakesh Puttreddy},
  howpublished = {ChemRxiv},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.26434/chemrxiv.15010799/v1},
  url = {https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15010799/v1},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - UNPB
TI  - Spontaneous Emergence of Homochiral Halogen-bonded Helices from Achiral Components
AU  - Rakesh Puttreddy
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/21
PB  - ChemRxiv
DO  - 10.26434/chemrxiv.15010799/v1
UR  - https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15010799/v1
AB  - Biological systems selectively use chiral molecules, such as L-amino acids and D-sugars, to construct single-handed helical structures including proteins, collagen, and DNA. Reproducing such handedness selection using synthetic systems remains a major challenge because achiral molecules generally form racemic helices. Here, we show that supramolecular halogen-bonded complexes assembled entirely from achiral molecular components spontaneously form either left- or right-handed helices. Structural analysis reveals that helix formation is driven by cooperative hydrogen-bonding interactions within the halogen-bonded assemblies, while their handedness is determined solely by the solvent. Remarkably, homochiral helices emerge without the need for chiral catalysts, chiral solvents, or other external chiral influences. These findings provide experimental evidence for spontaneous symmetry breaking in an achiral molecular system and offer a simple platform for exploring the origins of homochirality.
ER  -