Enantiomers are a pair of molecules that exist in two forms that are mirror images of one another but cannot be superimposed one upon the other
. They are also referred to as optical isomers or antipodes
. Enantiomers have the same chemical and physical properties, but they interact differently with other chiral molecules
. Some key points about enantiomers include:
- Enantiomers are not identical to each other; one enantiomer cannot be superimposed on the other
- They have the same melting point, solubility, and other physical properties
- Enantiomers can be distinguished by their direction of rotation when dissolved in solution, either dextro (d or +) or levo (l or -)
- The structural basis of enantiomerism is called chirality
- Enantiomers are important in various fields, such as crystallography, where many crystals are arrangements of alternate enantiomers
- They are also crucial in drug manufacturing, as often only one enantiomer of a drug is responsible for the desired physiological effects
Examples of enantiomers include the two optically active forms of tartaric acid, designated as d-tartaric acid and l-tartaric acid, which have identical chemical properties but different configurations
