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Enantiomer vs Chiral - What's the difference?

enantiomer | chiral |

As a noun enantiomer

is one of a pair of stereoisomers that is the mirror image of the other, but may not be superimposed on this other stereoisomer. Almost always, a pair of enantiomers contain at least one chiral center, and a sample of either enantiomer will be optically active.

As an adjective chiral is

of an object that exhibits chirality, as in the left-handed and right-handed versions of a helix.

enantiomer

English

(wikipedia enantiomer)

Noun

(en noun)
  • (chemistry) One of a pair of stereoisomers that is the mirror image of the other, but may not be superimposed on this other stereoisomer. Almost always, a pair of enantiomers contain at least one chiral center, and a sample of either enantiomer will be optically active.

    • Synonyms

    * enantiomorph * optical isomer

    Derived terms

    * enantiomeric

    See also

    * diastereoisomer * dextro- , D- * levo- , L-

    Anagrams

    *

    chiral

    English

    (chirality)

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Of an object that exhibits chirality, as in the left-handed and right-handed versions of a helix.