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Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: INeedSerotonin on February 06, 2020, 05:31:54 PM

Title: How can this be a chiral carbon?
Post by: INeedSerotonin on February 06, 2020, 05:31:54 PM

Hello

R¹R²HC-CH₃

I've read that this compound can have a chiral carbon if R¹ = R² = CH₃

However, I cannot visualize it. I tried writing it as CH3 CH2 CH2 CH3, but there is no chiral carbon there.

Perhaps that's a wrong information? I feel lost here.

Thanks

Title: Re: How can this be a chiral carbon?
Post by: Borek on February 06, 2020, 06:08:37 PM

By definition chiral carbon has four different substituents, so if any two are identical, carbon is not chiral. Something is wrong here.

Title: Re: How can this be a chiral carbon?
Post by: AWK on February 07, 2020, 04:28:55 AM

Rather R¹ ≠ R² ≠ CH₃

Title: Re: How can this be a chiral carbon?
Post by: INeedSerotonin on February 07, 2020, 10:51:00 AM

Thank you, guys! I guess that was a printing error. It makes sense now.