Chirality, a never-ending source of confusion

Carl-Johan Wallentin, Edvinas Orentas, Kenneth Wärnmark, Ola Wendt

Research output: Contribution to journalDebate/Note/Editorial

Abstract

In this Discussion a few points of confusion concerning chirality are clarified. The term chirodescriptive is proposed for such space groups that lack inversion centres, reflection planes, glide planes or rotary-inversion axes and thus can contain enantiopure, chiral objects. It is pointed out that chiral compounds can (and often do) crystallise in non-chirodescriptive space group when they occur as racemates and in such cases there is no incompatibility between chirality and mirror planes or centres of inversions. We also propose the term raceomorphism to describe the relationship between a conglomerate and a collection of racemic crystals of the same compound.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)607-608
JournalZeitschrift für Kristallographie
Volume224
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2009

Bibliographical note

The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015.
The record was previously connected to the following departments: Organic chemistry (S/LTH) (011001240)

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Organic Chemistry

Free keywords

  • Raceomorphism
  • Enantiomorphism
  • Chiral
  • Chirodescriptive
  • Chirogenic

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