In chemistry, enantiomers are molecules that are mirror images of each other, but not superimposable. This means that they can be thought of as left- and right-handed versions of the same molecule. The term “enantiomer” comes from the Greek words for “opposite” and “parts.”
Enantiomers are very important in the field of medicinal chemistry because many drugs are only effective when taken in one particular form. For example, the drug thalidomide was originally marketed as a treatment for morning sickness in pregnant women. However, it was later discovered that the drug caused serious birth defects when taken in its racemic form (a mixture of left- and right-handed molecules).
It is now known that only the right-handed form of thalidomide is effective against morning sickness, while the left-handed form is responsible for the birth defects.<\/p>\n \n
If you ask a biochemist if chair conformations are enantiomers, they will probably say yes. After all, enantiomers are defined as two molecules that are mirror images of each other, and chair conformations fit this definition perfectly. However, if you ask a chemist if chair conformations are enantiomers, the answer is not so clear.
This is because the term “enantiomer” is usually used to describe molecules that have different functional groups on each side of their central carbon atom, while chair conformations only have different substituents on their central carbonatom. So while chair conformations may be considered enantiomers by some scientists, others would argue that they are not.<\/p>\n \n