The Dude Explains Stereochemistry
Me: I understand you want to talk to my class today.
Dude: That is right man. Stereochemistry is the best. Any tetrahedral carbon with four different groups is chiral, meaning there are two different versions. Those two versions will be mirror images of each other, but they are not the same. Just like your hands, man, mirror images of each other, but a left-hand surfing glove will not fit on your right hand. And when it comes to molecules that are the same constitutional isomer, there are two kinds of stereoisomers. Enantiomers are stereoisomers that ARE mirror images of each other, like the R vs. S version of molecules with one chiral center. Diastereomers are molecules with more than one chiral center that are stereoisomers, but NOT mirror images of each. You can also have molecules with more than one chiral center that are enantiomers, but only if ALL the chiral centers are inverted, otherwise they are diastereomers. Think about it man, you will get it. One more thing.
Me: What is that dude?
Dude: You and I are identical twins. Doesn’t that make us sort of like stereoisomers?
Peace out from here.
