stereoisomeriainetta

Stereoisomerism is a type of isomerism in which molecules have the same molecular formula and the same atom connectivity but differ in the spatial arrangement of their atoms or groups. This difference in three-dimensional structure leads to distinct physical and chemical properties. There are two main categories of stereoisomers: enantiomers and diastereomers.

Enantiomers are stereoisomers that are non-superimposable mirror images of each other. They are often described as "chiral" compounds. Like a left and right hand, they have the same components but are oriented differently and cannot be perfectly overlaid. Enantiomers have identical physical properties such as melting point and boiling point, but they can differ in their interaction with plane-polarized light and their biological activity.

Diastereomers are stereoisomers that are not mirror images of each other. This occurs when a molecule has two or more chiral centers, and the configurations at some but not all of these centers are inverted relative to each other. Unlike enantiomers, diastereomers generally have different physical properties, including boiling points and solubilities, and can be separated by standard chemical techniques. Geometric isomers, such as cis-trans isomers in alkenes, are a specific type of diastereomer. Understanding stereoisomerism is crucial in fields like organic chemistry, biochemistry, and pharmacology due to its impact on molecular function.