Bluffton University

Organic Chemistry

Molecular Models:
Chiral centers
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A. Chiral centers

For a single atom to be chiral, there must be four different substituents attached. Such a carbon atom is called a chiral center. Chirality may be illustrated by considering a series of substituted methanes.

Methane itself is obviously not chiral. It is easy to see that methane can be superimposed on its mirror image; nevertheless, you may want to test this. The same is true for chloromethane.

Methane
methane
 
Chloromethane
chloromethane
Bromochloromethane, with three different substituents on carbon, may be more difficult to see; but if you examine the models of the two "different" molecules below you will find that they can be superimposed.

bromochloromethane bromochloromethane
 
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