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A chiral molecule is a type of molecule that has a non-superposable mirror image. The feature that is most often the cause of chirality in molecules is the presence of an asymmetric carbon atom. [16] [17] The term "chiral" in general is used to describe the object that is non-superposable on its mirror image. [18]
A chiral molecule or ion exists in two stereoisomers that are mirror images of each other, [5] called enantiomers; they are often distinguished as either "right-handed" or "left-handed" by their absolute configuration or some other criterion. The two enantiomers have the same chemical properties, except when reacting with other chiral compounds.
Skeletal structural formula of Vitamin B 12.Many organic molecules are too complicated to be specified by a molecular formula.. The structural formula of a chemical compound is a graphic representation of the molecular structure (determined by structural chemistry methods), showing how the atoms are connected to one another. [1]
Chemical compounds that come as mirror-image pairs are referred to by chemists as chiral or handed molecules. [1] Each twin is called an enantiomer. Drugs that exhibit handedness are referred to as chiral drugs. Chiral drugs that are equimolar (1:1) mixture of enantiomers are called racemic drugs and these are obviously devoid of optical rotation.
There are three common naming conventions for specifying one of the two enantiomers (the absolute configuration) of a given chiral molecule: the R/S system is based on the geometry of the molecule; the (+)- and (−)- system (also written using the obsolete equivalents d- and l-) is based on its optical rotation properties; and the D/L system is based on the molecule's relationship to ...
AFM image of 1,5,9-trioxo-13-azatriangulene and its chemical structure. [3] A molecule is a group of two or more atoms that are held together by attractive forces known as chemical bonds; depending on context, the term may or may not include ions that satisfy this criterion.
Compounds with these properties consist of chiral molecules and are said to have optical activity. If a chiral molecule is dextrorotary, its enantiomer (geometric mirror image) will be laevorotary, and vice versa. Enantiomers rotate plane-polarized light the same number of degrees, but in opposite directions.
The compound chlorofluoromethane, in contrast, is not chiral: the mirror image of its molecule is also obtained by a half-turn about a suitable axis. Another example of a chiral compound is 2,3-pentadiene H 3 C − CH = C = CH − CH 3 {\displaystyle {\ce {H3C-CH=C=CH-CH3}}} a hydrocarbon that contains two overlapping double bonds.