metisomer

Metisomer is a term used in chemistry to describe a specific type of isomer. Isomers are molecules that have the same molecular formula but differ in the arrangement of their atoms. Metisomers are a subset of these isomers where the difference lies in the position of a particular atom or functional group, and this positional difference leads to a change in the overall properties of the molecule. Essentially, it refers to isomers that are structurally distinct due to a shift in atom placement. This concept is often encountered when discussing organic chemistry, where variations in the placement of substituents on a carbon skeleton can create a variety of metisomers with different reactivity and physical characteristics. For instance, isomers of a simple alcohol might have the hydroxyl group attached to different carbon atoms within the same carbon chain, resulting in distinct compounds. Understanding metisomerism is crucial for predicting and explaining the behavior of chemical substances and for designing new molecules with specific functionalities.