Organoautocatalysis: Challenges for experiment and theory

Abstract

Recent reports about enantioselective organoautocatalytic systems, in which small organic molecules assist in their own formation and under conservation of their absolute configuration, are discussed. This process, appearing as a natural extension to non-covalent enantioselective organocatalysis, seems analogous to template-directed self-replication, previously observed in simple organic molecules and holds implications for models on the origin of life. © 2010 Tsogoeva; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.