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Chemistry

Dynamic Breaking of Mirror Symmetry in Spin-Dependent Electron Transport through Chiral Media Causes Enantiomeric Excesses

Yossi Paltiel, Daniel Goldberg, Nir Yuran, Shira Yochelis, Jia Hao Soh, Christopher Seibe, Jurgen Gauss, Shmuel Zilberg, S. Furkan Ozturk, Jonas Fransson, Anna I. Krylov, Ron Naaman

Featured June 22, 2026

Original Paper

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Simply

Mirror-image molecules, like those in our bodies, surprisingly show different spin behaviors for their two forms, which might explain why life picked a specific handedness for its building blocks.

In depth
The paper demonstrates that spin-involving processes in chiral molecules can have different outcomes for their two enantiomers, challenging the long-held assumption of identical absolute magnitudes. This dynamic breaking of mirror symmetry arises from enantiospecific differences in the phase of the spin-orbit coupling (SOC) matrix elements, leading to distinct orientations of the total angular momentum vector relative to the molecular frame.

Key Takeaways

  • 1
    The paper reveals that chiral molecules exhibit an intrinsic asymmetry in spin-dependent electron transport, where the absolute magnitude of physical effects differs between enantiomers.
  • 2
    This asymmetry is attributed to enantiospecific phases in the spin-orbit coupling (SOC) operator, which dictates the orientation of the total angular momentum vector.
  • 3
    The findings provide a plausible mechanism for the universal emergence of homochirality in life, suggesting that CISS-driven processes could inherently favor specific handedness.

Conceptual Flow

HIGH LEVEL
1
Methodology: How Chiral Molecules Break Symmetry

The paper shows that mirror-image molecules, even though they look similar, make tiny electron spins point in slightly different directions, which changes how they interact.

Mirror-Image Molecules
Electron Spin Interaction
Different Spin Directions
2
Results: Explaining Life's Handedness

This tiny difference in spin direction means one mirror-image molecule works better than the other in certain processes, potentially explaining why life chose a specific 'handedness.'

Different Spin Directions
Favored Interaction
Specific Handedness Selected