enantiomerism
[en-an″te-om´er-izm]the relationship between two stereoisomers having molecules that are mirror images of each other; enantiomers have identical chemical and physical properties in an achiral environment but form different products when reacted with other chiral molecules and exhibit optical activity. The enantiomer that rotates a beam of polarized light in the clockwise direction is indicated by the prefix (+)-, formerly d- or dextro-; the other enantiomer rotates light in a counterclockwise direction and is indicated by the prefix (−)-, formerly l- or levo-. See also dl-.
Enantiomerism. From Dorland's, 2000.
Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. © 2003 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.
en·an·ti·om·er·ism
(en-an'tē-om'ĕr-izm),chemistry isomerism in which the molecules in their configuration are related to one another like an object and its mirror image (enantiomers) and, consequently, are not superimposable; enantiomerism entails optical activity, both enantiomers (in identical amounts) rotating the plane of polarized light equally, but in opposite directions.
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