What is chiral or asymmetric carbon ?

A carbon atom attached with four different groups or atoms and it can not be superimposed on its mirror image, is called asymmetric or chiral carbon.

Example of chiral carbon : Lactic acid contains one asymmetric or chral carbon atom.

3D structure of lactic acid molecule .

What is chirality ?

The structure of enantiomers differ only in handedness. One being left handed and the other being right handed.

Any molecule which not superimposable on its mirror image is said to possess chirality.For example, lactic acid.

What is asymmetric or chiral molecule ?

The term chirality has been used to describe such molecule which have no element of symmetry such as plane of symmetry, centre of symmetry or alternating axis of symmetry.

Thus asymmetric molecules are also called chiral molecule. For example lactic acid an asymmetric or chiral molecule.

What is stereo isomerism ?

What is stereo isomers ?

Stereo isomers are a type of isomers where two molecules have the same molecular formula and sequence of bonded atoms but differ in the three dimensional orientations of their atoms in space. For example alanine.

Practice problems.

• What is optical isomerism in chemistry?