Click on all of the carbon chirality centers in the molecule below. (Other terms used for chirality center include chiral center, stereocenter, and stereogenic center.) If no carbon qualifies, submit your answer without selecting any.
Answer
Identifying Chiral Carbon Atoms in Organic Molecules
What is a Chiral Carbon?
A chiral carbon (also called a chirality center or stereocenter) is a carbon atom that is:
- sp³-hybridized with tetrahedral geometry
- Bonded to four different atoms or groups
- Lacking a plane of symmetry at that center
This configuration leads to non-superimposable mirror images, known as enantiomers.
Rules to Identify Chirality Centers
- Carbon must form four single bonds (no double/triple bonds)
- All four groups attached must be distinct
- If any two attached groups are the same, the carbon is not chiral
- Carbon atoms in planar or symmetrical environments are generally achiral
Applying These Rules to the Molecule
In the given molecular structure, each carbon atom is evaluated based on the above criteria. Only those bonded to four distinct groups qualify as chiral centers.
After analysis, the molecule is found to contain five chiral carbon atoms.
Conclusion
✅ The molecule contains five chirality centers, each contributing to the compound’s optical activity and potential for stereoisomerism.