Laser coherent control of molecular chiral states via entanglement of the rotational and torsional degrees of freedom

A new mechanism for controlling chiral states in simple chiral molecules with internal rotation, which employs the coherent quantum entanglement of the rotational-torsional states of the molecules, is proposed. It requires no preliminary spatial alignment of the molecules in a solution. A novel scenario for the preferential laser synthesis of enantiomers from a racemic solution of chiral molecules employing this new mechanism of inducing chirality is proposed and analyzed in detail and experimental scheme realizing this scenario is discussed. It is suggested that a non-linear optical activity coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (NOA-CARS) spectroscopic technique is used for both inducing the gyration wave in the medium (vapor) of chiral molecules and detecting this photoinduced gyration wave in the medium by registering the NOA-CARS signal. All numerical estimates are made for the hydrogen peroxide and deuterated hydrogen peroxide chiral molecules. Copyright (C) 2002 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.