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Chemistry Forums for Students => Undergraduate General Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: someguy456345 on April 15, 2009, 10:05:02 PM

Title: Chiral Centers (Stereocenters) in a ring?
Post by: someguy456345 on April 15, 2009, 10:05:02 PM

My book says a carbon atom in a ring (like cyclohexane) is a chiral center if:

1) It bears two different substituents on the outside of the ring
and
2) The path traced from that carbon in one direction is different from the path traced in the other direction

I understand the first requirement, it is simple enough but what do they mean by 2)

Could you please give an example? Thanks!

Title: Re: Chiral Centers (Stereocenters) in a ring?
Post by: Squirmy on April 15, 2009, 10:26:40 PM

Counter examples to 2 would be any 1,4- or 1,1-disubstituted cyclohexane.

Title: Re: Chiral Centers (Stereocenters) in a ring?
Post by: ufalynn88 on April 26, 2009, 12:55:43 AM

to be honest i dont even know what the 2nd requirement means. the 1st one got me through organic 1 and 2 quite easily enough...essentially, as long as the center in question is attached to alll different substituents, it is a chiral center.