Enantiomorph (Noun)
Meaning
Either one of a pair of compounds (crystals or molecules) that are mirror images on each other but are not identical.
Classification
Nouns denoting substances.
Examples
- Researchers discovered a pair of enantiomorphs in the crystals they were studying, with each crystal having a unique optical rotation.
- The enantiomorphs of the compound exhibited different properties when reacting with other molecules.
- In the laboratory, the scientists struggled to separate the enantiomorphs, as they had almost identical physical properties.
- Enantiomorphs are often found in molecules that have a chiral center, meaning the molecule and its mirror image cannot be superimposed.
- The existence of enantiomorphs was first proposed by chemist Louis Pasteur, who observed the asymmetric properties of tartaric acid crystals.