Definition of chiral in English:
chiral
adjective ˈkʌɪr(ə)lˈkīrəl
Chemistry Asymmetric in such a way that the structure and its mirror image are not superimposable.
Example sentencesExamples
- A molecule that is not symmetric - that is, a molecule without a plane of symmetry - is termed dissymmetric, or chiral.
- Most alkaloids are also chiral molecules, meaning they have nonsuperimposable mirror images.
- The second type is the cholesteric liquid crystal phase, also called the chiral nematic liquid crystal phase.
- The most common examples of chiral molecules are enantiomers.
- The resulting chiral nematic giant liquid crystals had wide temperature ranges for their liquid crystal phases, from room temperature to about 80° Celsius.
Derivatives
nounkʌɪˈralɪti
Chemistry Thus Pasteur established the principle of chirality as a fundamental property of organic chemical structure.
Example sentencesExamples
- All of this is achieved without switching the chirality of the catalyst.
- Such isomers are called enantiomers and molecules that have enantiomers are said to be chiral or to show chirality.
- Another aspect arising from the macroscopic chirality of gel networks refers to applications in material science such as sensors or switches, he told Reactive Reports.
- The technique might also be used to template the growth of complex molecular structures with novel architecture and chirality.
Origin
Late 19th century: from Greek kheir 'hand' + -al.