What is the maximum number of stereoisomers for a compound with two chiral centers?

1 question

1 item

Q: What is the maximum number of stereoisomers for a compound with two chiral centers?

Solution: The maximum number of stereoisomers for a compound with n chiral centers is given by 2^n. For 2 chiral centers, it is 2^2 = 4.

Steps: 6

Step 1: Understand what a chiral center is. A chiral center is a carbon atom that is attached to four different groups.
Step 2: Know that each chiral center can create two different configurations (or forms) called stereoisomers.
Step 3: Identify the number of chiral centers in the compound. In this case, there are 2 chiral centers.
Step 4: Use the formula for calculating the maximum number of stereoisomers, which is 2 raised to the power of the number of chiral centers (2^n).
Step 5: Substitute the number of chiral centers into the formula: 2^2.
Step 6: Calculate 2^2, which equals 4. This means there are 4 possible stereoisomers for a compound with 2 chiral centers.