ABSTRACT
Deficiencies in the terminology used to describe chiral systems exist for behaviors under various processes and thus a more general, robust terminology is considered. For example, the descriptions for characterizing melting point, solubility, and recrystallization behaviors were adopted well before it was realized that perturbation of the enantiomeric com-position (ec) due to self-disproportionation could be effected by processes other than recrystallization such as sublimation, chromatography over achiral substrates, and even distillation. Thus, an endeavor has been made to address the question of universally describing behaviors under processes that effect, or are dependent on, the ec. The main terms that have been defined with respect to behavior are homomate (analogous to a conglomerate), heteromate, bimate (analogous to a racemic compound), and unimate (analogous to a solid solution) and they apply to melting point, solubility, recrystallization, sublimation, distillation, and chromatographic processes. Additionally, suggestions for improving the terminology for describing the states of chiral systems are also considered and the defined terms are: holemate (hol, ec = 100%), scalemate (scl, 50% < ec < 100%), and equimate (eqm, ec = 50%).