Definition

1. Noun:
   • In chemistry, an enantiomer is one of a pair of stereoisomers that are non-superimposable mirror images of each other. They have identical physical properties except for their interaction with plane-polarized light and other chiral molecules.

Usage

• The term enantiomer is used to describe one of the two mirror-image forms of a chiral molecule. It is a specific scientific term used primarily in organic chemistry, pharmacology, and biochemistry.
• Example: "The drug's effectiveness depended on which enantiomer was administered, as only one form interacted correctly with the biological target."

Examples

• Noun:
  • Thalidomide was a tragic case because one enantiomer had therapeutic effects while the other caused birth defects.
  • The chemist separated the mixture to isolate the pure enantiomer.
  • These two molecules are enantiomers; they are mirror images but not identical.

Advanced Usage

• "Optical isomer": A synonym often used for enantiomer, referring to its ability to rotate plane-polarized light.
  • The two optical isomers of the compound were confirmed to be enantiomers.
• "Enantiomeric pair": Refers to the set of two enantiomers together.
  • The sample contained a 50:50 mixture of the enantiomeric pair, known as a racemate.

Variants and Related Words

• Enantiomeric (adjective): Relating to or being an enantiomer.
  • The enantiomeric purity of the compound was very high.
• Enantiomorphism (noun): The condition or property of being enantiomorphic (having mirror-image forms).
• Racemate (noun): A mixture containing equal amounts of two enantiomers, which is optically inactive.

Synonyms

• Optical isomer
• Mirror-image isomer
• Chiral isomer

Antonyms

• Diastereomer: A stereoisomer that is not a mirror image.
• Racemate: The equal mixture of two enantiomers, considered a single substance.

Related Phrases and Concepts

• "Enantiomeric excess (ee)": A measurement of the purity of a substance in terms of one enantiomer over the other.
  • The synthesis aimed for high enantiomeric excess to produce a single active form.
• "Chiral center": The atom (often carbon) in a molecule that gives rise to chirality and the possibility of enantiomers.
  • The molecule has one chiral center, so it has two possible enantiomers.

Noun

1. either one of a pair of compounds (crystals or molecules) that are mirror images on each other but are not identical