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Stereochemistry topics include: Stereochemistry, stereoisomers, polarimeter, enantiomerism, chilarity, enantiomers, diastereomers and meso structures.
Stereochemistry is a branch of chemistry that studies the three-dimensional structure of molecules. It also involves the manipulation of the spatial arrangement of atoms in molecules.
The term "stereochemistry" comes from the Greek word stereos, which means "solid". It's also known as 3D chemistry because it focuses on stereoisomers, which are chemical compounds with the same chemical formula but different spatial arrangements in three dimensions. Stereochemistry is important in synthesis and the study of enzymatic catalysis. For example, stereochemistry can explain cis-trans isomerism among trivalent nitrogen compounds, and has led to the discovery of new isomers. Stereochemistry can be traced back to 1842 when French chemist Louis Pasteur observed that the salts of tartaric acid collected from a wine production vessel. Pasteur also introduced new terminology and nomenclature for stereochemistry, including the term "dissymmetry" to refer to handedness.
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