Cahn-Ingold-Prelog
Quick Summary
The Cahn-Ingold-Prelog (CIP) system is a method for assigning stereochemical descriptors to molecules, specifically to distinguish between enantiomers, which are non-superimposable mirror-image isomers. This system is crucial for understanding chirality, a property where a molecule and its mirror image are different, much like a left and right hand.1
The CIP protocol assigns priorities to the atoms attached to a central stereogenic atom based on their atomic numbers. The molecule is then viewed from a specific direction, and the path traced by connecting the atoms in order of priority determines whether the molecule is designated as R (rectus, or right-handed) or S (sinister, or left-handed). This nomenclature is vital because enantiomers can have different physical and biological properties, such as how they interact with polarized light or other chiral molecules.1
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