How to Experimentally Determine the Influence of the Weak Nuclear Force in Promoting Molecular Chirality via Heavy–Metal Promoted Autocatalytic Synthesis of Amino Acids

Abstract

AbstractThe potential impact of the parity non‐conserving (PNC) weak nuclear interaction on the chirality of a nascent chiral carbon center has previously been examined in the context of evolutionary models for enantiomeric selectivity in the formation of natural amino acids and nucleic acids. Since the PNC effect is the only inherently handed property in nature, it is an obvious candidate to consider in those cases where there is a natural selectivity for a specific enantiomer, including the molecular building blocks of the molecules of life. Over geological timeframes, the potential impact of the PNC weak nuclear force on chiral preference appears feasible. Key requirements included an autocatalytic reaction cycle and involvement of metal‐ion catalysts. While prior studies offer no feasible path to experimentally test the hypothesis; the Z5‐dependence of the PNC interaction does suggest that catalysis by heavy elements could yield observable chiral preferences within an experimentally accessible timeframe. Calculations of the magnitude of the effect are presented for select heavy‐elements and it is shown that chiral preference could be observed within a time span of weeks to months when such metals are used to promote amino acid synthesis via an autocatalytic Strecker reaction.