Chirality and Stereochemistry
Chirality is a component of stereochemistry that deals with the spatial arrangement of atoms in molecules and particularly focusing on mirror-image isomers called enantiomers. These enantiomers share identical properties but differ in their interaction with light and biological systems. Chirality is crucial in fields like pharmacology as it influence the physiological effects of drugs. Stereochemistry explores the three-dimensional structures of molecules, impacting diverse areas such as drug design and material science.
Properties and Differences of Enantiomers
The properties and Differences of enantiomers are:
- Enantiomers typically share identical physical properties, including melting point, boiling point, infrared absorptions, and NMR spectra.
- However, a mixture of the two enantiomers may exhibit a different melting point due to distinct intermolecular interactions between opposite enantiomers (R and S) compared to like enantiomers (both R or both S).
- Chiroptical techniques, primarily optical rotation, stand out as the class of methods capable of distinguishing between enantiomers.
- Chiroptical properties depend not only on bond lengths and angles but also on the sign and magnitude of torsional angles, with the sign being the key difference between enantiomers.
Enantiomers
Enantiomers are pairs of molecules with identical chemical composition but non-superimposable mirror images. They exhibit different optical activities and interact uniquely with polarized light. Their distinctive spatial arrangements around chiral centers result in unique properties, notably in their interaction with light.
In this article, we will learn about the definition of an enantiomer, its properties, various examples of enantiomers, and the difference between enantiomers, chirality, stereoisomers, and diastereomers.
Table of Content
- What are Enantiomers?
- Structure of Enantiomers
- Chirality and Stereochemistry
- R and S Enantiomer
- Enantiomers vs Stereoisomers