= Chiral catalyst
A <chiral catalyst> provides a handed reaction environment that can favour formation of one <enantiomer>. The competing substrate–<catalyst> arrangements are diastereomeric, so their activation free energies can differ.<Searching for New Reactivity by K. Barry Sharpless>[Chiral ligand environments and catalytic asymmetric reactions]{ref}
For two competing pathways obeying transition-state kinetics, $k_1/k_2\simeq\exp[-(\Delta G_1^\ddagger-\Delta G_2^\ddagger)/(RT)]$. A modest free-<energy> difference can therefore produce a substantial product ratio. Reversible steps and product equilibration require additional analysis.
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