When chirality breaks: mechanochemical degradation of biaryl atropisomers

Key Points

• Racemisation of atropisomeric biaryls occurs under ball milling, leading to potential loss of stereochemistry.
• Key contributions to degradation include time, solvent choice, and base type during mechanochemical processes.
• Mechanochemical asymmetric synthesis requires careful control of conditions to mitigate stereochemical loss.
• This process has implications for the production of chiral compounds, which are essential in many pharmaceuticals.