Chiral analysis and mixtures of cold, large molecules

We show new avenues for ultra-specific chemical analysis of buffer-gas cooled molecules via microwave spectroscopy. Buffer gas cooling provides a continuous, mixture compatible, solution compatible source, where the cold environment is controllable and the cooling process is separate from the production of the gas phase molecules [1,2]. We demonstrate the analysis of complex molecular mixtures by introducing a new liquid injection source with microwave spectroscopy in a cryogenic buffer gas environment.\\ Chirality plays a fundamental role in the activity of many biological molecules and in broad classes of chemical reactions. Recently, we have demonstrated species and enantiomer sensitive microwave spectroscopic methods [3,4]. We seek to apply these methods not just to the analysis of chemical mixtures, but also to the manipulation of mixtures.\\ \\ 1. N. R. Hutzler, H.-I Lu, and J. M. Doyle. Chem. Rev. 112 (9), 4803 (2012)\\ 2. G. K. Drayna, K. Wang, C. Hallas, S. Domingos, S. Eibenberger, J. M. Doyle, D. Patterson. Ang. Chem. Int. Ed. (2016), doi: 10.1002/anie.201600030\\ 3. D. Patterson, M. Schnell, & J. M. Doyle. Nature 497, 475-477 (2013)\\ 4. D. Patterson & J. M. Doyle. Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 023008 (2013)\\