CH 3
CH 3
H OH
CH 3
CH 3
HO H
CH 3
CH 3
H OH
H 3 C
H 3 C
H OH
(a) (b)
Figure 5.6 (a) 2-Propanol (V) and its mirror image (VI), (b) When either one is
rotated, the two structures are superposable and so do not represent
enantiomers. They represent two molecules of the same compound.
2-Propanol does not have a stereocenter.
HH H
H
CH 4 C
CHX
X
XY
X XH
X X
X X
YZ
CH 3
CH 2
H HH
H
C
H H
H
C H
H
C
Y H
H
C H Y
H
C
Y Z
H
C Z Y
H
C
H
HO C OH
H 3 C COOH
H
C
HOOC CH 3
Mirror
(+)-Lactic acid, [α]D = +3. 82 (−)-Lactic acid, [α]D = -3.82