compoundsachiral

A compound that is achiral is a chemical compound that does not possess chirality. Chirality is a property of a molecule in which its mirror image is non-superimposable on the original molecule. Molecules that are achiral, therefore, are superimposable on their mirror images. This means that an achiral molecule and its mirror image are identical.

There are several structural features that can lead to a molecule being achiral. The most common reason for a molecule to be achiral is the presence of a plane of symmetry. A plane of symmetry is a plane that divides a molecule into two halves that are mirror images of each other. If a molecule has a plane of symmetry, it is achiral. Another way a molecule can be achiral is by having a center of symmetry. A center of symmetry is a point within a molecule such that if you draw a line from any atom through the center and extend it the same distance on the other side, you encounter an identical atom. Molecules with an inversion center are also achiral.

Furthermore, molecules with only one stereogenic center (a chiral center, typically a carbon atom bonded to four different groups) are chiral. However, if a molecule has two or more stereogenic centers, it may be achiral if it possesses an internal plane of symmetry or a center of symmetry. Such a molecule is called a meso compound. For instance, tartaric acid has two chiral centers, but the meso isomer of tartaric acid is achiral because it has an internal plane of symmetry. In summary, achiral compounds lack the property of non-superimposable mirror images, often due to the presence of symmetry elements like planes or centers of symmetry, or by being meso compounds.