Stereoisomers

Stereoisomers share the same ______ connectivity

atomic

Conformational isomers (conformers)

Different rotation around single bonds

Configurational isomers

Different shape from breaking bonds

Gauche

one methyl group is too close to another

Antistaggered isomers are in their ____ energy state

lowest

Enantiomers

Same connectivity but opposite configuration at every chiral center

Optical activity

rotation of plane-polarized light by chiral molecule

Racemic mixtures display no ______ ______

Optical activity

Diastereomers

non-mirror image

For diastereomers with n chiral centers, how many possible stereoisomers are there?

2ⁿ

For any molecule to have optical activity, it must have…

chiral centers and lack of plane symmetry

Meso-Compounds

Like racemic mixtures, not optically active