掌心里的天机——从旋光、特异性识别到手性污染

Mystery in the Palm of Your Hand:Chiral Identification Using Optical Rotation Measurements and Specificity for Chiral Pollution Detection

生活中许多重要的化学物质均具有手性,但大众对其认识不足。本文详细介绍了三个科普实验:手性万花筒、简易旋光仪和手性指示剂。手性万花筒可简单鉴别手性物质与非手性物质;简易旋光仪可直观地区分手性物质是左旋还是右旋,并检测手性物质的旋光度;手性指示剂无需仪器,通过颜色变化就可分辨特定结构的对映体,适合向更专业的人群展示手性物质的特异性识别。这三个实验深入浅出,操作简单,现象生动有趣,向大众科普了手性化学物质的物理性质和化学性质,有良好的科普实践展示效果,多方位展示了手性之美、化学之美。

Even though chiral compounds are ubiquitous,the general public is rarely aware of them.In this study,we perform three basic experiments using a kaleidoscope,simple optometer,and chiral indicator.Kaleidoscopes can be used to easily distinguish chiral compounds from non-chiral ones.Simple optometers can be used to directly distinguish levorotary from dextrorotary substances and determine the rotation degree of chiral substances.Chiral indicators can be used to distinguish enantiomers via color changes,which are visible to the naked eye.Because chiral indicators do not require instrumentation,they are suitable for identifying chiral substances in research settings.The experiments are thorough and easy to perform,and the observed phenomena are vivid and thought-provoking.Therefore,we believe that the experiments herein can be used by the general public to evaluate the physical and chemical properties of chiral compounds.Moreover,the experiments emphasize the practical applications of science concepts,demonstrating the attractiveness of chirality and chemistry.