Enantiomer

An enantiomer is one of a pair of stereoisomers that are mirror images of each other and are non-superimposable. This property arises from the presence of a chiral center, usually a carbon atom bonded to four different substituents. Enantiomers have identical physical properties like melting point and boiling point, except for their interaction with plane-polarized light and their different reactivity with other chiral molecules. The term is particularly important in chemistry, biochemistry, and pharmacology, as enantiomers can have significantly different biological effects. They are fundamental in understanding how molecules interact within living systems.

Enantiomer meaning with examples

• In the synthesis of ibuprofen, only one enantiomer is biologically active, the S-enantiomer, providing pain relief, while the other R-enantiomer is inactive. Pharmaceutical companies meticulously control the production to maximize the desired enantiomer's presence in the drug.
• The chiral molecule limonene exists as two enantiomers, one with a citrus smell, commonly found in oranges, and the other with a pine-like scent found in turpentine. These two have identical physical properties but distinct olfactory experiences.
• Amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, exist almost exclusively as L-enantiomers in biological systems. D-amino acids can have specific roles, such as being a structural component of some bacterial cell walls but can have a different impact.
• The use of enantiomeric separation techniques like chiral chromatography is essential in research. These techniques allow for the isolation of individual enantiomers from a racemic mixture.
• Researchers explore the stereochemistry of various natural products like sugars to understand how the different enantiomers affect biological processes, such as receptor binding or enzyme activity.