| A | B |
|---|
| dexter | right handed |
| sinister | left handed |
| levorotary | an optical isomer that rotates a plane of polarized light to the left, counter-clockwise |
| dextrorotary | an optical isomer that rotates a plane of polarized light to the right, clockwise |
| cis-isomer | a stereo isomer with the substituted groups on the same side of the plane of the molecule |
| trans-isomer | a stereo isomer with the substituted on opposite sides of the molecular plane |
| methyl group | a side branch containing only one carbon |
| ethyl group | a side branch containing a two carbon chain |
| 2-propanol | isopropyl alcohol, rubbing alcohol |
| propyl group | a side branch containing a three carbon chain |
| freon | a type of chlorofluorocarbon compound used as a refrigerant |
| structural isomers | isomers having different bonding patterns resulting in completely different molecules |
| isomers | compounds having the same molecular formula but different arrangement of atoms within the molecular structure |
| racemic | a mixture having equal amounts of two different optical isomers |
| chirality | the structure of an isomer that makes it distinguishable from its mirror image or opposite |
| stereo isomers | isomers having the same molecular formula and the same order of attachment of atoms, but differing in their placement in space |
| optical isomers | isomers having the same molecular formula and the same order of attachment but because of an asymmetrical carbon atom rotate a plane of polarized light in opposite directions |
| thalidomide | a racemic mixture drug developed in the 1950's that had benefits in preventing morning sickness but caused severe birth defects |
| teratology | the branch of science studying birth defects |
| ibuprofen (Advil) | a common analgesic pain reliever that is a racemic mixture with only one isomer effective in pain relief, but the body will transform the non-effective isomer to the effective in about 20 minutes after ingesting |
