Homochiral state in chemical systems far from thermodynamic equilibrium: a stochastic approach

• Grant number: 16/02601-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2016
• End date: May 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Alejandro López Castillo
• Grantee: Leonardo Silva Dias
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The spontaneous induction of chemical reactions to homochiral states is yet an open question in chemistry. Because of that, theoretical studies have been developed to propose generic reactional mechanisms to get chiral symmetry braking in the global reaction and to allow a deep physical-chemistry understanding about this process. Many models were suggested and studied, showing the necessity of specific reactional steps, as autocatalysis and competition between the enantiomers. Therefore, the most part of these studies were caried out from deterministic approaches and based on this fact, the present work aims to develop studies of systems already proposed in the literature from a stochastic approach. The stochastic method is based on the treatment of systems formed by a finite number of particles where the fluctuations, which can be understood as thermodynamic fluctuations, are naturally obtained. In chemical and biological processes, fluctuations in the molecular population level are important to describe the behavior of finite systems. Thus, the stochastic method is more realistic than the deterministic one, because it presents intrinsic fluctuations. Important results can be obtained, e. g., the chiral symmetry breaking could occur as consequence of the fluctuations, once a small momentary enantiomeric excess could generate homochiral states through catalytic steps. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

SILVA-DIAS, L.; LOPEZ-CASTILLO, A.. Spontaneous symmetry breaking of population: Stochastic Lotka-Volterra model for competition among two similar preys and predators. MATHEMATICAL BIOSCIENCES, v. 300, p. 36-46, JUN 2018. (16/02601-0, 10/11385-2)

SILVA-DIAS, L.; LOPEZ-CASTILLO, A.. Stochastic chiral symmetry breaking process besides the deterministic one. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, v. 19, n. 43, p. 29424-29428, NOV 21 2017. (16/02601-0, 10/11385-2)