Chiral center vs. Sterocenter

[beardsley]

What is the difference between a chiral center and a stereocenter?

Chirality1.jpg

The answer to #5 is 3. The answer to #6 is 2. I am assuming that the carbon with the carboxyl substituent is the one that is a stereocenter but not a chiral center but I don't understand why. Thanks for any help.

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[Anotherface]

What is the difference between a chiral center and a stereocenter?

Chirality1.jpg

The answer to #5 is 3. The answer to #6 is 2. I am assuming that the carbon with the carboxyl substituent is the one that is a stereocenter but not a chiral center but I don't understand why. Thanks for any help.

Can you identify the two types of centers in that compound?

the carbons with the -Cl are chiral and stereocenters, the carbon with -cooh is only a stereocenter. The carbons with Cl- have 4 different groups, while the other carbon only has two groups ( CHCHClCH2... and COOH). The reason that interchanging the groups creates stereo isomers is that the two groups provided by the ring are unable to rotate around the carbon relative to each other.

I hope that helps...the response seems a little convoluted.

 

[beardsley]

Thank you for your answer. I can now see that the carbon attached to the -COOH has only 3 distinct substituents. However, I am now confused as to what the third stereo center for question #5 would be. Now, I am thinking that the carbonyl carbon may be the third stereocenter. (And that being sp2 hybridized is what is disqualifying it from being a chiral center). And that the carbon attached to -COOH is neither a chiral center nor a stereocenter. What do you think?

 

[Anotherface]

Thank you for your answer. I can now see that the carbon attached to the -COOH has only 3 distinct substituents. However, I am now confused as to what the third stereo center for question #5 would be. Now, I am thinking that the carbonyl carbon may be the third stereocenter. (And that being sp2 hybridized is what is disqualifying it from being a chiral center). And that the carbon attached to -COOH is neither a chiral center nor a stereocenter. What do you think?

All chiral centers are stereocenters in this case. So you have 2 C-cl stereocenters and one C-cooh stereocenter.