Aligned Molecular Collisions and a Stereodynamical Mechanism for Selective Chirality

Investigations of the stereodynamics of elementary processes provide the background for perspective demonstration of the manifestation of chiral effects in molecular collisions. Advances in experimental vacuum technology allow the generation of molecular beams containing oriented molecules. Here, we focus on collisional alignment, a molecular polarization phenomenon occurring in supersonic expansions of gaseous mixtures. The underlying physical mechanisms, relevant gas-phase experiments and molecular dynamics simulations are illustrated, with reference to applications of these tools to the study of elementary processes occurring both in homogeneous and in heterogeneous phases, and are discussed in view of their fundamental relevance and also of possible interest in an astrochemical, protobiological context. © Springer-Verlag 2011.