Nonlinear Asymmetric Effect

A phenomenon in which the enantiomeric composition of a chiral catalyst and the enantiomeric excess (ee) of the product exhibit a nonlinear relationship. Discovered by Kagan, it is of major significance for understanding the mechanisms of chiral amplification. The effect indicates that the enantiomeric purity of the product is not simply proportional to that of the catalyst, and it has become a central concept in studies of asymmetric catalysis and the origin of homochirality.