How many stereogenic centres are there in Tetracycline?

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Answer 1 · 2018-04-09T00:16:10

Consider tetracycline, an antibiotic primarily used to treat skin and acne infections,

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We're looking to count the number of chirality centers in this compound, or those carbons with four different connections.

Note the carbons with only three connections, the #"sp"^2# hybridized carbons. Only #"sp"^3# hybridized carbons will chirality centers.

I highlighted in red the stereochemistry in the molecule (with implied hydrogens where applicable),

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Hence, if we count the carbons that have those red groups coming off, we count:

#5# chirality centers, where #32# stereoisomers are possible.