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In
chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...
, the term ''supramolecular chirality'' is used to describe
supramolecular assemblies In chemistry, a supramolecular assembly is a complex of molecules held together by noncovalent bonds. While a supramolecular assembly can be simply composed of two molecules (e.g., a DNA double helix or an inclusion compound), or a defined num ...
that are non-superposable on their mirror images.
Chirality Chirality is a property of asymmetry important in several branches of science. The word ''chirality'' is derived from the Greek (''kheir''), "hand", a familiar chiral object. An object or a system is ''chiral'' if it is distinguishable from ...
in
supramolecular chemistry Supramolecular chemistry refers to the branch of chemistry concerning chemical systems composed of a discrete number of molecules. The strength of the forces responsible for spatial organization of the system range from weak intermolecular forces, ...
implies the non-symmetric arrangement of molecular components in a non-covalent assembly. Chirality may arise in a supramolecular system if one of its component is chiral or if achiral components arrange in a non symmetrical way to produce a
supermolecule The term supermolecule (or supramolecule) was introduced by Karl Lothar Wolf ''et al.'' (''Übermoleküle'') in 1937 to describe hydrogen-bonded acetic acid dimers. The study of non-covalent association of complexes of molecules has since develope ...
that is chiral.


References

{{chiral synthesis Chirality Stereochemistry