In other words, are these two structures equivalent?
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
Add a comment
|
2 Answers
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
0
Yes, they are both (S)-2-chlorobutane.
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
The difference between these structures is a rotation of the molecule by 60 degrees. You could build a model to convince yourself that they are the same. The arrangement of the atoms around the chiral center does matter.
The utility of the R/S convention is that you can unambiguously decide whether the two compounds are the same or different, which can be difficult depending on the orientation of the compound.
answered Jun 4, 2014 at 15:08