Figure 5.1 The mirror image of Figure 5.2 Left and right
a left hand is aright hand. hands are not superposable.
Figure 5.3 (a) Three-dimensional drawings of the 2-butanol enantiomers I and II.
(b) Models of the 2-butanol enantiomers. (c) An unsuccessful attempt
to superpose models of I and II.
- A stereocenter is defined as an atom bearing groups of such nature that an
interchange of any two groups will produce a stereoisomer.
A tetrahedral atom with four different groups attached to it is a stereocenter
(chiral center, stereogenic center)