Diaryl ether heptanoids: Molecular Mobius Strips… or Not?

I will discuss a class of molecules called diaryl ether heptanoids. These molecules were originally isolated from woody plants in Asia. Their molecular architecture includes a large twisted ring, which sometimes (but not always) leads to the property of molecular chirality or “handedness”. Through chemical synthesis of these molecules and measurement of their physical properties, we are developing an understanding of what features lead to molecular chirality.