Isomers of Octane

Step 5 - Chiral Carbon Identifiers - You are looking to find "Four Different Groups Attached to Carbon."

•  A carbon with "four different groups attached to it " is a criteria that signals you have an asymmetric center.
• An asymmetric center = "chiral center"
  • an asymmetric center is said to be a chiral center.
  • A molecule with one chiral center is ALWAYS asymmetric.
• Any molecule with plane of symmetry is symmetrical.
  • symmetrical molecules with two or more chiral centers— internal plane of symmetry—are called "meso."
  • What if a molecule contains two chiral centers, is it always asymmetric? HINT: If the molecule has an internal plane of symmetry, it is symmetric.
• Please watch the silent movie (it is a silent movie, no audio) where I show you how to identify symmetry and asymmetry (chiral centers) in organic molecules.
• Follow along with the handout and, identify chiral centers with an "asterisk.

• (finger or mouse scroll to the bottom of the page to click 'Next' to continue once you completed all the above)

Identifying Chiral Centers handout shown below may be used when following along with this tutorial and available at (click here)

(finger or mouse scroll to the at the top of the page)