1.

0 STRUCTURE OF ENATIOMERS
Enatiomers have identical chemical and physical properties except direction of rotation plane
polarized light and their rates of reactivity with other chiral compound. The rotation of plane
polarized light effect the reactivity of enatiomers with other chiral compound. Enatiomers have
same structure but different in their orientation on plane polarize light. This mean they rotate the
plane polarized light in opposite direction though in equal amount. Because they different in this
property they are often called optical antipodes. Enatiomers are classified to R and S
configuration based on their polarizability.
The isomer that rotates the plane of polarization to the right or clockwise direction is known as
R- isomer. They also known as dextrorotary isomer or ( + ) isomer (Figure 1.a)
The isomer that rotate the plane of polarization to the left ( anticlockwise direction ) is S- isomer.
The other name for S-isomer are laevorotatory isomer and ( - ) isomer.(Figure 1.b)

Figure 1.a

Figure 1.b

Enatiomer may have a chiral carbon atom or more than one chiral center. A general rule stated a
structure having n chiral center will have 2n possible combination of center.
1.1 ENATIOMER WITH ONE CHIRAL CENTER
If there only one chiral center ,both isomer must be optically active. Both isomer will rotate in
opposite direction of each other whether right or left. They never rotate in same direction. For
example, optical activity with one chiral center is present in 2- methyl-1-butanol (figure 2).

Figure 2
Both isomer of 2-methyl-1-butanol rotate the plane polarized light in opposite direction of each
other.
1.2 ENATIOMER WITH MORE THAN ONE CHIRAL CENTER
When a molecule has two chiral center (n=2), it will have four isomer with each of it has its own
configuration and can be classified into R or S, so there four stereoisoeric combinations possible
(figure 3).

. For example. The Chinese shrub Ma Huang (Ephedra vulgaris) two active

compounds ephedrine and pseudoephedrine (figure 3). Both compound are stereoisomesr of 2methylamino-1-phenyl-1-propanol.

Figure 3
(-)-pseudoephedrine and (+)- pseudoephedrine are a pair of enatiomer. (-)- ephedrine and (+)ephedrineare second pair of enatiomers and the relationship of ephedrine to pseudoephedrine is
designated by term diastereomer.