Researchers from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Voxalytic GmbH have developed a groundbreaking method to determine the chiral structure of molecules using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. This innovation could revolutionize the process of developing new drugs, making it faster and more efficient.
Chirality refers to the unique spatial arrangement of atoms in a molecule, which can result in different properties depending on whether the molecule is left- or right-handed. The importance of chirality was highlighted by the devastating effects of Contergan/Thalidomid, which caused physical deformities in children born with its use during pregnancy.
The new method allows for direct measurement of chiral molecular structure using NMR spectroscopy, a technique previously limited to recognizing the sense of rotation but not at atomic resolution. This breakthrough could make chirality elucidation a future standard method of NMR analysis, streamlining research into the production of specific enantiomers and accelerating drug screening.
The study is published in Advanced Materials and has been reviewed for credibility by Science X’s editorial process and policies.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2024-09-nmr-spectroscopy-method-faster-chiral.html