Chapter 6: Reaction Mechanism in the Study of Amplifying Asymmetric Autocatalysis
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Published:28 Oct 2022
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Special Collection: 2022 ebook collectionSeries: Catalysis Series
J. M. Brown, in Asymmetric Autocatalysis
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This article first explores the challenges involved in defining a mechanism for a catalytic asymmetric reaction and then the additional factors that have to be considered for autocatalytic reactions. Any major discovery is based on scientific infrastructure, and the developments that provided that infrastructure for the Soai reaction are discussed in detail. The current status of mechanistic understanding is assessed though the various approaches and methodologies that have been utilized. On this basis a view of the present understanding of amplifying asymmetric autocatalysis is given. The final sections are concerned with mechanistic aspects of application to autocatalytic reactions at phase boundaries and with the extreme sensitivities of this unique chemistry towards perturbation.