chiral ligand

A chiral ligand is a molecule that can attach to a metal atom and influence how chemical reactions occur, especially in creating specific, desired products. "Chiral" means the molecule has a mirror-image form, like your left and right hands, which are similar but not identical. When such a ligand binds to a metal, it creates a unique environment that can steer reactions to produce one specific mirror-image version of a product, important in pharmaceuticals and chemicals. This selectivity is vital for developing medicines and materials with precise properties.