Chiral centre: Difference between revisions
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A Chiral centre is an atom that is attached to four different atoms or groups of atoms. | A Chiral centre is an atom that is attached to four different [[atoms|atoms]] or groups of atoms. | ||
A main example of a chiral centre is the central [[carbon|carbon]] atom in [[amino acids|amino acids]]. You can arrange the groups around the carbon in two different ways so two differnet molecules are made. These two molecules are [[enantiomer|enantiomers]] as they are non superimposable mirror images of each other. One [[enantiomer|enantiomer]] is labelled D the other is labelled L. | |||
Chiral compounds are found in nature but only one [[enantiomer|enantiomer]]. For example [[L-amino acids|L-amino acids]] are found in nature not [[D-amino acids|D]]. | |||
All [[Amino_acids|amino acids]] apart from [[Glycine|Glycine]] have a central chiral carbon. This carbon atom is attached to the [[R group|R group]], a [[hydrogen|hydrogen]] atom, the [[Carboxyl_group|COO<sup>-</sup>]] and the [[Amino_group|NH<sub>3</sub>]]<sup>[[Amino_group|+]] </sup><ref>J.Berg, J.Tymoczko, L.Stryer, 2012, Biochemistry, 7th Edition, England, W.H.Freeman and Company</ref>. | |||
=== References === | |||
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Revision as of 07:11, 25 November 2012
A Chiral centre is an atom that is attached to four different atoms or groups of atoms.
A main example of a chiral centre is the central carbon atom in amino acids. You can arrange the groups around the carbon in two different ways so two differnet molecules are made. These two molecules are enantiomers as they are non superimposable mirror images of each other. One enantiomer is labelled D the other is labelled L.
Chiral compounds are found in nature but only one enantiomer. For example L-amino acids are found in nature not D.
All amino acids apart from Glycine have a central chiral carbon. This carbon atom is attached to the R group, a hydrogen atom, the COO- and the NH3+ [1].
References
- ↑ J.Berg, J.Tymoczko, L.Stryer, 2012, Biochemistry, 7th Edition, England, W.H.Freeman and Company