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Chirality definitions

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  • Chirality
    Property where a molecule's mirror image cannot be perfectly aligned with the original, similar to left and right hands.
  • Chiral Center
    A carbon atom bonded to four distinct groups, creating the potential for non-superimposable mirror images.
  • Achiral
    Describes a molecule lacking a carbon attached to four unique groups, resulting in superimposable mirror images.
  • Optical Isomer
    A molecule that exists in two forms, each rotating plane polarized light differently due to its chiral nature.
  • Enantiomer
    One of a pair of molecules that are non-superimposable mirror images, each with opposite spatial arrangements.
  • Plane Polarized Light
    A type of light oscillating in a single plane, used to detect optical activity in chiral substances.
  • Optical Activity
    The ability of a substance to rotate the direction of plane polarized light, indicating chirality.
  • Mirror Image Method
    A drawing technique where a molecule is depicted as seen in a mirror, preserving spatial relationships.
  • Inversion Method
    A drawing approach where the molecule's position is fixed but the bonds' orientations are reversed.
  • Dashed Bond
    A representation in molecular drawings indicating a bond projecting away from the viewer.
  • Wedged Bond
    A depiction in molecular structures showing a bond extending toward the viewer.
  • Spatial Orientation
    The three-dimensional arrangement of groups around a central atom, crucial for distinguishing enantiomers.
  • Unique Group
    A substituent attached to a central atom that differs in identity from the other attached groups.