I was asked to draw all possible stereoisomers of inositol (1,2,3,4,5,6-cyclohexanehexol). To obtain the answer I had to assume that all six carbons of the molecule are asymmetric, which (bearing in mind possible molecular symmetry) results on the following nine stereoisomers:1

The problem is that I fail to see why these carbons can be considered chiral centers. Given:

"The most common cause of chirality in an organic molecule, although not the only one, is the presence of a carbon atom bonded to four different groups [...]. These carbons are now named chiral centers [...]" 1

The chirality of the molecule is not the reason of my doubts, I can see that the only chiral isomers are D- and L- chiro-inositol. Since all carbons in the ring possess a hydroxyl group, can they not be considered to be bonded to equivalent substituents, making them symmetric? Is the possibility of the -OH groups to be above or below the plane of the ring what makes them asymmetric?

1: From Wikipedia
[2]: McMurry, John. Organic Chemistry. CENGAGE Learning, 2008. 7th edition.

I was asked to draw all possible stereoisomers of inositol (1,2,3,4,5,6-cyclohexanehexol). To obtain the answer I had to assume that all six carbons of the molecule are asymmetric, which (bearing in mind possible molecular symmetry) results on the following nine stereoisomers:^[1]

The problem is that I fail to see why these carbons can be considered chiral centers. Given:^[2]

The most common cause of chirality in an organic molecule, although not the only one, is the presence of a carbon atom bonded to four different groups [...]. These carbons are now named chiral centers [...]

The chirality of the molecule is not the reason of my doubts, I can see that the only chiral isomers are D- and L- chiro-inositol. Since all carbons in the ring possess a hydroxyl group, can they not be considered to be bonded to equivalent substituents, making them symmetric? Is the possibility of the -OH groups to be above or below the plane of the ring what makes them asymmetric?

1. From Wikipedia
2. McMurry, John. Organic Chemistry. CENGAGE Learning, 2008. 7th edition.

I was asked to draw all possible stereoisomers of Inositol (1,2,3,4,5,6-cyclohexanehexol). To obtain the answer I had to assume that all six carbons of the molecule are asymmetric, which (bearing in mind possible molecular symmetry) results on the following nine stereoisomers:1

The problem is that I fail to see why these carbons can be considered chiral centers. Given:

"The most common cause of quirality in an organic molecule, altough not the only one, is the presence of a carbon atom bonded to four different groups [...]. These carbons are now named chiral centers [...]" 1

The chirality of the molecule is not the reason of my doubts, I can see that the only chiral isomers are D- and L- chiroinositol. Since all carbons in the ring possess a hydroxil group, ¿can they not be considered to be bonded to equivalent substituents, making them symmetric? ¿Is the possibility of the -OH groups to be above or below the plane of the ring what makes them assymetric?

1: From Wikipedia
[2]: McMurry, John. Organic Chemistry. CENGAGE Learning, 2008. 7th edition.

I was asked to draw all possible stereoisomers of inositol (1,2,3,4,5,6-cyclohexanehexol). To obtain the answer I had to assume that all six carbons of the molecule are asymmetric, which (bearing in mind possible molecular symmetry) results on the following nine stereoisomers:1

The problem is that I fail to see why these carbons can be considered chiral centers. Given:

"The most common cause of chirality in an organic molecule, although not the only one, is the presence of a carbon atom bonded to four different groups [...]. These carbons are now named chiral centers [...]" 1

The chirality of the molecule is not the reason of my doubts, I can see that the only chiral isomers are D- and L- chiro-inositol. Since all carbons in the ring possess a hydroxyl group, can they not be considered to be bonded to equivalent substituents, making them symmetric? Is the possibility of the -OH groups to be above or below the plane of the ring what makes them asymmetric?

1: From Wikipedia
[2]: McMurry, John. Organic Chemistry. CENGAGE Learning, 2008. 7th edition.