Return to Contents Chapter 7 : Stereochemistry Ch 7 contents  
Summary

Despite what one may perceive from a printed page or even the computer screen you are now looking at, most molecules are not 2D objects, they are 3D as a result of the spatial arrangement of the atoms, groups and bonds.  The interaction of molecules (i.e. reactions) which occur as the result of collisions between  these 3D objects in 3D space, can therefore also have 3D requirements and characteristics.  Stereochemistry is all about the 3D properties of molecules and reactions and has it's own language and terms that need to be appreciated.

Isomer types Stereoisomers The Chirality Centre Optical Activity Absolute Relative Configuration Cahn-Ingold-Prelog R/S notation Fischer projections Implications in Reactions
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organic chemistry © Dr. Ian Hunt, Department of Chemistry University of Calgary