31 - Preparing Single Enantiomers and Conformational Energy

After mentioning some legal implications of chirality, the discussion of configuration concludes using esomeprazole as an example of three general methods for producing single enantiomers. Conformational isomerism is more subtle because isomers differ only by rotation about single bonds, which requires careful physico-chemical consideration of energies and their relation to equilibrium and rate constants. Conformations have their own notation and nomenclature. Curiously, the barrier to rotation about the C-C bond of ethane was established by measuring its heat capacity.