2) Chirality and stereochemistry

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What does superimposed mean?

Overlapping

What does chiral mean?

A molecule that cannot superimpose (overlap) perfectly with its mirror image

What is an example of a chiral object?

My hands, thumbs will never overlap!

Simple term of a chiral molecule

Look for a carbon that has 4 different things bonded to it

What qualifies a molecule as NOT chiral?

2 or more of the same groups (2 methyl groups, 2 H’s)

These 4 things cannot be chiral:

Ch3, Ch2, not a carbon atom, double + triple bonds

What is a stereogenic center?

A carbon that has four different groups and is likely chiral

stereogenic centers are also called

chiral centers

The maximum number of stereoisomers for a compound is

2^n

n represents

the number of stereogenic/chiral centers

A tertiary carbon (3 degree) could be a..

potential chiral carbon, check the bonding groups