achiralem

Achiralem is a term used in chemistry to describe a molecule that is not chiral but contains a chiral center. The term is derived from the Greek words "a-" meaning "without" and "chiral" meaning "handedness." Achiralems are molecules that do not exhibit optical activity, meaning they do not rotate the plane of polarized light, and they are not superimposable on their mirror images. However, they possess a chiral center, which is a carbon atom bonded to four different groups. This center is the site of chirality, but the overall molecule lacks chirality due to the presence of other structural features that cancel out the chirality of the chiral center. Achiralems are important in the study of chirality and stereochemistry, as they provide examples of molecules that are not chiral but contain chiral centers. They are also relevant in the design of chiral catalysts and drugs, as they can be used to study the effects of chirality on molecular interactions and reactivity.