Enantiomers and the Tetrahedral Carbon Enantiomers "From the Greek enantio,meaning“opposite'” Stereoisomers in which molecules are not identical to their mirror images Result whenever a tetrahedral carbon is bonded to four different substituents CHXYZ (one need not be H) Lactic acid(2-hydroxypropanoic acid)has four different groups (-H,-OH,-CH3,-CO2H)bonded to the central carbon atoms and exists as a pair of enantiomers Enantiomers ▪ From the Greek enantio, meaning “opposite” ▪ Stereoisomers in which molecules are not identical to their mirror images ▪ Result whenever a tetrahedral carbon is bonded to four different substituents CHXYZ (one need not be H) ▪ Lactic acid (2-hydroxypropanoic acid) has four different groups (-H, -OH, -CH3 , -CO2H) bonded to the central carbon atoms and exists as a pair of enantiomers Enantiomers and the Tetrahedral Carbon