Question

The maximum number of optically active stereisomers that could exist for the compound below

Answer 1

One of the more familiar examples of geometric isomers in biochemistry are cis and trans fats. The second major class of stereoisomers are molecules containing an asymmetric center which are not superimposable on one another.

Answer 2

Answer:

The structure of 2,3-dichlorobutane is

CH

3

*

C

HCl

*

C

HClCH

3

The two carbon atoms marked with blue asterisks are chiral centres.

The maximum number of stereoisomers is

2

n

, where

n

is the number of chiral centres.

Since

n

=

2

, the maximum number of stereoisomers is

2

2

=

4

.