Download Problem Set for "The Origin of Chirality" by Anne

Problem Set for "The Origin of Chirality" by Anne‐Catherine Bédard 1. In 2008, Breslow reported that α‐methyl amino acids found on meteorites to be a plausible source of biological homochirality. These enantioenriched amino acids can transfer their chirality through copper catalysis to several proteinogenic amino acids. Propose a mechanism for this transfomation. 2. The Strecker reaction is usefull to synthesise α‐amino acid. Provide a mechanism for this transformation. 3. A chiral optical switches has been reported by Feringa in 2011. Give the structure of the product, and rationalise the relative stereochemistry of the 2 methyl groups by drawing the orbitals implicated. 4. A proposed prebiotic synthesis of purine and pyrimidines goes through the formation of this substituted imidazole. Propose a plausible mechanism for this transformation. 5. Ribose (C5H10O5) is a formal pentamer of formaldehyde (CH2O). It can be synthesise by the formose reaction. Propose a plausible mechanism for the formation of ribose.