Stereogenic center

Definition

A stereogenic center in a molecule is an atom, typically carbon, that is attached to four different groups or atoms, allowing the molecule to exist in two or more spatial arrangements (stereoisomers). These centers are crucial for the molecule's three-dimensional shape and properties.

Related terms

Chirality:

The property of a molecule that makes it non-superimposable on its mirror image, often due to the presence of a stereogenic center.

Enantiomers:

Two stereoisomers that are mirror images of each other but cannot be aligned exactly when superimposed, typically due to one or more stereogenic centers.

Optical Activity:

The ability of chiral molecules to rotate plane-polarized light left or right, a property directly influenced by the arrangement around their stereogenic centers