Stereoisomerism
Full definition of stereoisomerism
Noun
stereoisomerism
- (chemistry) A form of isomerism in which atoms are arranged differently about a chiral centre (or centre of asymmetry); they exhibit optical activity; in a molecule with a single chiral centre the two isomers (enantiomers) are mirror images of each other; in a molecule with multiple chiral centres the isomers (diastereoisomers) are not normally mirror images.