CHIRAL LIGAND Meaning and
Definition
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A chiral ligand refers to a type of ligand that is asymmetric and exists in either a right-handed or left-handed form. Ligands are molecules or ions that bind to a central metal atom or ion in a coordinated complex. In the case of chiral ligands, the presence of a chiral center or an axis of chirality within their chemical structure results in two distinct mirror-image isomers, known as enantiomers.
Chiral ligands play a crucial role in asymmetric catalysis, where the use of the enantiomerically pure form of the ligand contributes to the production of a specific enantiomer in a reaction. The ability of chiral ligands to induce chirality in their complexed metal centers allows for the control of stereochemistry in various chemical reactions. This property makes chiral ligands widely utilized in the pharmaceutical industry for the synthesis of chiral drugs, as enantiomeric differences can greatly impact biological activity and side effects.
The synthesis of chiral ligands is of great importance as it guarantees the production of only one enantiomer, ensuring high stereoselectivity in chemical reactions. Various techniques like organic synthesis, resolution, or even the use of genetically modified microorganisms are employed to obtain enantiomerically pure chiral ligands. Additionally, the study of chiral ligands and their metal complexes is an active area of research in coordination chemistry, as it contributes to unraveling the relationship between ligand structure, metal coordination, and catalytic activity.
Etymology of CHIRAL LIGAND
The word "chiral" comes from the Greek word "cheir", which means "hand". In chemistry, chirality refers to the property of a molecule or object that cannot be superimposed on its mirror image. The term "ligand" originated from the German word "Ligand" or "Bindungsatom", meaning "binding atom". In the context of chemistry, a ligand is an atom, ion, or molecule that binds to a central metal atom or ion in a coordination complex. Therefore, the term "chiral ligand" combines the concept of chirality with ligands, indicating that the ligand possesses a non-superimposable mirror image.
