Organic Chemistry: Stereochemistry

Further topics in Stereochemistry

This brief section introduces two separate topics of stereochemistry. First, we see how stereochemistry can be represented using an alternate representation, Fischer Projections. We present a few simple rules for the manipulation of Fischer Projections and present techniques for easily determining whether compounds are enantiomeric or meso.

The second part of this section discusses conformational chirality, which occurs when a particular conformation of a molecule is chiral. Even achiral molecules can exhibit conformational chirality. Because the conformations are generally not isolatable, these molecules are still on average achiral. However, there are some examples of isolatable conformational enantiomers that result from molecules not capable of conformational interconversion. Finally, we give allenes as an example of compounds that exhibit chirality without containing stereogenic carbons.