Soai ..didn't write the paper to solve the puzzle of homochirality. Go back and ... quote directly what he states the reason for the research. - Kate
OK...
Asymmetric Autocatalysis and Amplification of Enantiomeric Excess of a Chiral Molecule.
KENSO SOAI, TAKANORI SHIBATA, HIROSHI MORIOKA & KAORI CHOJI (Nature 28th December 1995)
Abstract
THE homochirality of natural amino acids and sugars remains a puzzle for theories of the chemical origin of life. In 1953 Frank proposed a reaction scheme by which a combination of autocatalysis and inhibition in a system of replicating chiral molecules can allow small random fluctuations in an initially racemic mixture to tip the balance to yield almost exclusively one enantiomer. Here we show experimentally that autocatalysis in a chemical reaction can indeed enhance a small initial enantiomeric excess of a chiral molecule.
Let me summarise that abstract in simple terms...
"It is puzzling that amino acids can be left-handed or right-handed but in living things they are all of one sort. This is a challenge to developing a theory for the origin of life. Back in 1953 F.C. Frank suggested a possible answer. His idea was that a small difference between left and right types will occur naturally. The formation of amino acids is an autocatalytic reaction. Therefore Frank proposed that this would amplify the difference until the mixture is almost all of one sort. This paper describes how we have demonstrated by an experiment in the lab that Frank was correct."
Contrary to your repeated assertion, Soai did set out solve the puzzle of homochirality, specifically in the context of the origin of life. He succeeded. The homochirality of amino acids in living things is no longer a mystery.
