How many different atoms or groups are attached to an asymmetric carbon?

1 Answer
anor277
Feb 4, 2017

Generally 4 different substituents are attached to an asymmetric carbon.

Explanation:

A species that can be formulated as #CR_1R_2R_3R_4# can exist as 2 optical antipodes where one isomer is the mirror image of the other.

The separation of these enantiomers is a non-trivial exercise. See here for ideas on the importance of chirality.

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