Enantioselective Synthesis and Enantiomeric Amplification of Amino Acids under Prebiotic Conditions

Abstract

A plausible origin of biomolecular homochirality is advanced, where alpha-methyl amino acids found on meteorites transfer their chirality in the synthesis of normal amino acids. This asymmetry can be amplified to nearly homochiral levels, thus providing the necessary prerequisite for life to start on this planet and elsewhere in the universe.