Chirality Revealed by Raman Optical Activity: Principles, Applications, Recent Developments and Future Prospects

Chirality is a fundamental property of molecules, particularly important in biological systems. The ability to distinguish between enantiomers is crucial in many fields. Raman optical activity (ROA) is a powerful analytical technique that measures the small intensity difference in Raman scattering of right- and left-circularly polarized light by chiral molecules. Due to their sensitivity to stereochemistry, ROA spectra can provide an ample amount of information on both structure and conformational behavior of chiral molecules. Here we present the theoretical background to the subject and an overview of different forms of ROA measurement, including resonance ROA (RROA) and surface-enhanced ROA (SEROA). We also discuss the application of ROA spectroscopy to a variety of molecules, emphasizing the extent of structural information that can be gathered. Although ROA is still a specialized technique, recent advances have led to several new applications and developments. We show several results to illustrate how ROA is opening new opportunities in analytical chemistry. Finally, we discuss recent advances in ROA instrumentation and its advantages and limitations compared to other chiral spectroscopic techniques, such as electronic and vibrational circular dichroism. Hopefully, this chapter provides a comprehensive list of the fundamentals, applications, advancements, and future potential of ROA as a powerful analytical technique for exploring and studying chirality in molecules.